Mak's Noodle 麥奀雲吞麵世家 - Central - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Wonton noodles are a iconic Hong Kong dish and there are so many variations available on this island. Mak's Noodles is a famous wonton noodle restaurant that has been established since the 1960's and a must-go to place if you're in Hong Kong. And yes it is also Michelin Starred. Its original outlet is located in Wellington Street, Central.

They have decades of experience under their belt and the food here is known to be legendary. So good that it has a reputation as having the best wonton noodles in Hong Kong. Now that's a big call. Look at all those articles! They have recently expanded and a number of locations have sprouted across Hong Kong and Singapore.

Once again we expected a queue during the lunch time rush but there was no queue. We walked straight in and didn't have to share a table. Sharing a table in Hong Kong is the norm when a restaurant gets busy.

It has got an old school noodle shop feel to it making it feel homely. The staff don't speak much English but a combined English and Chinese menu is available on all tables. Service was prompt and efficient and we didn't encounter any rude staff.

The piping hot bowl of 'Wonton Noodle Soup (HKD 39.00) is their specialty item and arrives no later than 5 minutes after ordering. It's served in a Chinese mini bowl that is usually used for rice and reminds me of the bowls mum use to have in her kitchen.

The wontons are hidden beneath the noodles. Plump pieces of wonton are filled with juicy shrimps.

The thin noodles are firm, with a springy and bouncy texture giving it a nice bite. The clear broth is fragrant and full of flavor, having a hint of sweetness. However, it's pricey. At close to AUD 7.00 a bowl, the serving size is really small and you'll probably need a minimum of two bowls to fill you up.

Seasoning and sauces are available.

Overall, a delicious bowl of wonton noodle soup. Truth to be told, I actually find that the wontons at my local favourite Chinese restaurant in Hurstville tastier.

Surprisingly, the restaurant opposite the road called Tsim Chai Kee Noodles was packed to the brim with customers. It's much cheaper compared to Mak's at HKD 28.00 a bowl. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to try it out. I did do some research online and the reviews say the taste is pretty much on par with Mak's, if not better according to some.

After finishing your meal, do check out Central. There is plenty to see and walking up and down those hills will give you a free workout.

Can't believe it's nearly the end of Sunday. Have a good week all!

Where?
G/F, 77 Wellington St,
Central,
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2854 3810

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
11:00am - 10:00pm

Website
N/A

One Clementine - Kingsgrove - Sydney , Australia

One lady at work said that she went to a really good Vietnamese restaurant in Kingsgrove. In Kingsgrove I asked? A very random location given that there aren't many around that area of Sydney, with the exception of Marrickville. I love Vietnamese cuisine and even though my mum cooks it really well, I do enjoy eating it at restaurants as there is much more variety.

One Clementine is a Vietnamese restaurant located within a complex of new apartment blocks in Kingsgrove, on the first floor together with other stores. It's airy, modern and very spacious. Upon entry, we could smell the different aromas released from the cooking and it smelt amazing. We went during lunch hour on Sunday and it wasn't very busy, but I've read that it is much busier at night, sometimes with queues.

One Clementine serves authentic Vietnamese food but they have also ventured out with modern Vietnamese inspired dishes. They specialise in beef noodle soup, boiling beef bones for many hours to achieve the complex broth. They also have assorted baguettes and rice paper rolls. For those craving dumplings, selected dumplings are handmade on site, though it appears the prawn dumplings are not after confirming with the waitress. The prices are a bit higher than Bankstown or Cabramatta, but there isn't much competition around the area.

We start off with a 'Vietnamese Iced Black Coffee ($3.00)' which looks like how it is served in Vietnam, drip coffee over ice. Unfortunately, the coffee lacked the punch and hit that I'm used to. The taste of the coffee was faint and diluted by the excess water used to filter the grind coffee. I noticed that there was very minimal coffee put into that filter which may have deterred the overall taste. Won't be ordering this next time around.

The 'Pork and Chive Dumplings ($8.00)' are made fresh in-house. Even though it's not a typical Vietnamese dish, this extra addition to the menu is welcoming. The dumplings are filled with juicy meat and chives which may not be suited to those with sensitive noses, as these vegetables let off a pungent smell. A nice entrée with the sweet soya sauce on the side.

In a steaming bowl, the much awaited 'Pho Tai and Bo Vien ($14.00)' arrived at our table. It is essentially medium rare beef and beef meatballs in a beef broth. I asked for the beef to be fully cooked as I don't like eating rare meat. The beef tasted fresh and we could tell they didn't use the cheap cuts. The noodles were silky smooth to the palate.

I very much enjoyed the piping hot broth that had an amazing depth of flavour and the perfect balance, in terms of not being overly sweet nor too salty. It was just delicious and made me sweat buckets. However, they were missing one essential garnish, onions, which are found in most beef noodle soups I've had, as it gives it that extra sweetness.

The 'Pho Tai ($12.00)' is a medium-rare beef noodle soup. Cooked perfectly and like the one above, very tasty.

Fresh herbs and condiments to go with the Pho.

A great place that serves modern Vietnamese food at decent prices. Service is friendly and food comes out reasonably quick. The beef noodle soup is definitely worth having. We do miss the complimentary Chinese tea that we get at the traditional Vietnamese restaurants. Nevertheless, we will be returning to try other dishes in the near future. Thanks for the recommendation N!

Where?
Shop 1, The Pottery,
11 Mashman Ave,
Kingsgrove NSW 2208

Phone no: (02) 8060 7122

Opening Hours
Monday - Sunday
Lunch 11:00am - 4:00pm
Dinner: 5:00pm - 9:00pm
Closed Tuesday

Website
www.oneclementine.com.au

Pho 24 - Ho Chi Minh City - South Vietnam, Vietnam

Pho 24

Pho is a staple dish in Vietnam and it can be eaten throughout the day.

Pho 24 is a Vietnamese noodle soup (Pho) restaurant, a popular chain and franchise, with a number of stores located throughout Vietnam and Asia. They are known for serving delicious and authentic Pho, using simple and fresh ingredients, at reasonable prices. The first outlet was open in 2003 and they have since expanded their operations and by 2012, there were 70 outlets.

We stayed at Palace Hotel located in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. It's a great hotel with a central location, providing easy access to the tourist attractions. Do note that going around the City can be difficult as there aren't any trains in the area. Most of the time we took a taxi if it wasn't within walking distance. The taxis charge according to the meter and this turned out to be a cheap form of transportation to get around.

*Credits to Bu Binh

District 1 is the financial and commercial hub of the city and this is where most of the international visitors congregate. I felt safer in this area as opposed to another district we stayed at on arrival, which felt congested and not tourist friendly.

There are tourist attractions such as the Saigon Skydeck, Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, Reunification Palace, Central Post Office and the City Hall. As such, there are many cafes and restaurants here to cater for the diverse market.  Here you'll also find international designer brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. I wish we stayed here for more than one night as there is a lot to see but we just didn't have enough time. Even though this was my third time going back to Vietnam, I never knew about this area until this trip. My aunt, a lady in her 60's, who has lived in this City all her life, has never been to District 1 and she said many like her also haven't. I found that to be an interesting fact as I would have expected most locals to have been here but she said it's more of a place for the younger generation.

Pho 24 is a few steps down the road from the hotel. Conveniently open from 6am, so if you're hungry you know where to go. A lot of places aren't open till 10am with the exception of street stalls and a few restaurants as they tend to stay open later.

The restaurant interior is modern, clean and thankfully air conditioned. You could say you're paying a premium for this welcoming environment. The Pho can cost up to more than twice the price of local fare.

The front of the store is where all the action happens. That is where they cook the noodles and compile the ingredients together. When we were there, it looked to be mainly locals who were eating in so that was a good sign.

Since it's a franchise, you can expect the quality and consistency to be will be maintained. The menu is extensive and they offer set combos such as Pho with a drink or Pho with a drink and dessert. At the moment there is a promotion on where you can get a small bowl of Pho for VND 29,000.

Pho is available in either small or large size. We didn't mention small or large when our order was taken, neither did the waiter ask, and we ended up with a large bowl each. Their large bowl is really filling and for breakfast it was a struggle to finish.

Chicken Pho is a hard dish to get right as restaurants tend to focus more on the Beef Pho. Some restaurants end up making it tasteless and bland.The 'Pho Ga - Chicken Pho (Large)' is served in a big bowl. A nice steaming, hot bowl of noodle soup with good flavours. The broth was tasty but it doesn't compare to my all time favourite Chicken Pho from Pho An. It lacked that kick, which may be because of how it's cooked or the spices that are added in. The thin rice noodles used are fresh and not packaged.

The 'Pho Bo Dac Biet -  Beef Pho Special (Large)' contains a mix of beef, tendon, tripe and beef balls. Their beef just doesn't equate to Australian beef. It lacks that oomph  factor and as such the Pho wasn't overly great, as the beef makes a big difference to the dish. The broth, however, was seasoned perfectly, not too sweet and just right on the palate.

The obligatory side vegetables are washed and cut up nicely. The beansprouts have most of their yellow heads taken off which is something I've rarely seen, if ever, at a restaurant. I actually don't find any difference in taste between heads left on or taken off.

'Nuoc Mia - Sugarcane Drink' is available in a can. Now that's something I never tried before in Vietnam. Unfortunately, it failed in taste in comparison to the real thing and tasted artificial. It wasn't bad for a canned drink but it can't replace the freshly made sugarcane juice with no preservatives.

In terms of cleanliness, quality and affordability, you can't go wrong with Pho 24. The Pho is standard and mediocre, but this is coming from someone with high standards for Pho as I've eaten it so much. If you're after those qualities and want decent Pho, then this is the place to go.

Where?

17 Huỳnh Thúc Kháng

Bến Nghé,

Hồ Chí Minh City,

Vietnam

Phone no: +84 8 3914 2424

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
6:00am - 10:00pm Daily

Website
http://www.pho24.com.vn