Noodles are a daily staple in many Asian cultures. Across the region, noodles come in different thickness and shapes, and are served hot or cold in broths, salads, stir-fries, and deep-fries.
For decades, the Chinese, Italians and Arabs have claimed the invention of noodles—until a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles was unearthed in China in 2005, suggesting an Asian origin of one of the world’s most beloved foods.
In Hong Kong, we are spoiled for choice when it comes to Asian noodle dishes, from Thai boat noodles, Japanese ramen to Malaysian pan mee, each representing a taste of the culture to which it belongs.
While we may not traveling anytime soon, these MICHELIN restaurants serve up authentic noodle dishes from around the region that will transport you across Asia.
Samsen
Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021
From glass noodle salad, pad thai to khao soi, Thailand is home to over 15 varieties of noodle dishes made with different broths, noodles, toppings and sides.
At Bib gourmand restaurant Samsen (Wan Chai), where Thai street food takes centre stage, the wagyu beef boat noodle soup is a tribute to the classic Thai boat noodles that was traditionally served from boats in the canals and rivers of Thailand.
The broth follows a traditional recipe with a punchy tangle of herbs and spices, including a generous amount of coriander, lemongrass and cinnamon, finished with the addition of pig’s blood to provide thickness and impart a distinctive flavour to go with the thin rice noodles. The flavourful broth is laden down with tender cuts of tender wagyu beef, making it well worth the splurge at HK$138 per bowl.
Hansik Goo
MICHELIN Plate, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021
There’s more to Korean noodles than japchae and Shin Ramyun. A summer favourite in Korea, naengmyeon is cold buckwheat noodles traditionally served in a chilled broth topped with cucumbers, slices of pear, pickled radish, and a boiled egg or slices of cold boiled beef. (Fun fact: The dish is so iconic that K-Pop group Girls' Generation has a song "Naengmyeon" that was named after it.)
At MICHELIN Plate restaurant Hansik Goo, the first global venture by Mingoo Kang of Seoul’s two-Michelin-starred Mingles, naengmyeon is combined with mulhoe, a spicy raw fish soup made with gochujang (Korean red chilli paste), and covered with thin slices of cuttlefish. When mixed together, it’s a mouthful of chewy noodles, crunchy vegetables and fresh cuttlefish, all washed down with a spicy cold broth.
RELEVANT: Chef Kang Mingoo Takes Korean Food Global With Hansik Goo In Hong Kong
Ramen Jo (Causeway Bay)
Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021
A much-loved Japanese staple food both in and outside of Japan, ramen is wheat-based noodles made from four primary ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water, and kansui, a form of alkaline water that gives the noodles their stretch and spreadability.
Most ramen comes with a classic broth like shio (salt), shoyu (soy), miso or tonkotsu (pork bone), and toppings such as barbecued or braised pork, scallions, corn, nori (dried seaweed), bamboo shoots, and a boiled egg. The types of noodle, soup base and toppings all varied depending on the region the ramen is from.
While famous for its classic ramen, Ramen Jo (Causeway Bay) also offers tsukemen, a ramen dish served with a separate bowl of broth for dipping. The noodles, thicker and chewier than regular ramen, are available in hot or cold to go with a rich seafood broth, and a homemade spicy paste (optional).
What To Eat
Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021
Hearty and belly-warming, Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup is a combination of slurpable noodles and braised beef shank served in a slow-simmered beef broth and pickled vegetables.
Every restaurant has its own closely guarded secret recipes, each version varies in broth, noodle thickness and beef cuts. Bib Gourmand restaurant What To Eat, run by two Taiwanese mums, is the place to be for a satisfying bowl of braised beef noodle soup, where with different beef cuts like shank, tendon, rib and meat are served in a spiced broth simmered for more than five hours.
Unsurprisingly, the authenticity extends to the warm service, which feels as homely as the food itself.
Ancient Moon
Bib Gourmand, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2021
Thanks to its multicultural heritage, Singapore is home to a myriad of noodle dishes that fuse Chinese, Malay, Indian influences.
Among the melting pot of flavours, there are many unsung heroes in the noodle world of Singaporean and Malaysian cuisines that are worth discovering other than laksa and bak kut teh.
Take chilli pan mee, a Malaysian speciality made with flat white noodles tossed in dried fish and chilli sauce. In Ancient Moon’s version, the noodle soup is topped off with a host of umami-packed garnishes, such as crispy anchovies, dried chilli, minced pork and a poached egg to impart a contrast of textures.
READ MORE: 6 MICHELIN Restaurants For Vegetarian-Friendly Menus
