Hong Kong is known for it’s high rises, humidity and abundance of shopping malls. Maks Noodles is one of the many egg noodles with wontons restaurants in Hong Kong in a city re-known for its night markets and Dai Pai Dong (i.e., Open Air Food Stall) that are recognized by the Michelin Guide. Hong Kong is the city that forced the Michelin Guide to rethink its approach to local cuisines.
With every rating system, the Michelin Guide doesn’t come without criticism for its pro-French and snobby fine dining leaning restaurants. However, Michelin’s inspection process is the best you could possibly design cause of their multiple anonymous visits, no advertising, no fees, and strict standard approach. It’s the closest you could get to an unbiased and standardized approach in the world of hidden agendas and paid placements. Maks Noodles Hong Kong SAR
However, the Michelin Guide did re-evaluate its approach when it came to Hong Kong and Macau. It’s the first city guide to include street vendors. Maks Noodles isn’t on the Michelin guide but it should be recognized as a Bib Gourmand. Maks Noodles’ history dates back to the 1960s and it started as Dai Pai Dong. The recipe has been remain the same with outlets all around Hong Kong. It’s your typical mom and pop shop with no-frills.
Maks Noodles has a solid customer based as customers are consistently going in and out of the their restaurants. The service is your typical Hong Kong service, which is pretty much non-existent. It pretty much equates to you coming in, ordering your food, waiter dropping off your food, you eating, paying for your meal and then leaving. It’s pretty standard cause a lot of Asian restaurants are known for its food quality versus service based restaurants. I visited the little crammed restaurant in Jordan, which is next to the extremely popular Australian Dairy Company. The restaurant serves a small bowl for HK$30; however, the quality of the wontons are really good. I can’t complain cause HK$30 is equivalent to about $3.80.
I’m a big fan of everything pasta and tend to lean towards Asian noodles cause of the soup component of it; I thoroughly enjoying loads of carbs soaked in a broth and I find it extremely comforting to eat. Therefore, Pho, Bun Bo Hue, Taiwanese Beef Noodles, Wonton Noodles, Kalguksu, Ramen and the like are my preferred choices of Asian noodles.
Maks Noodles serves a thin, springy egg noodle with it’s wonton soup. The broth was light to compliment the springy egg noodles; the delicate egg noodles soaked up the broth very well. The egg noodles were really soft in texture and didn’t overshadowed the pork based broth. The wontons were a golden color with a transparent wrapper. The delicate wrapper didn’t take away from the robust flavors of the wonton fillings. The full-flavored wonton filling was well balanced with a hearty serving of pork, salt and morsels of shrimp. It’s really hard to compare wontons in the United States or anywhere else to good ole fashion authentic Hong Kong shop like Mak’s Noodles. It’s definitely good on the palate.
Check out our other Hong Kong articles here.
- Service - 6/106/10
- Presentation - 6/106/10
- Flavors - 8.5/108.5/10
- Decor - 6/106/10
- Ambiance - 6/106/10
Summary
Mak’s Noodles is a no-frills wontons restaurant that started as a Dai Pai Dong in the 1960s. It keeps with the traditions of quality Asian restaurants where the food is the focus and service takes a backseat while not being rude. For less than $4, Mak’s Noodles serves quality wontons in a city filled with local favorites.
