Nam Kee Spring Roll Noodles - The Most Delicious Mai Sin Noodle Soup Ever!

Sometimes sous chef and I asked ourselves, where should Tony Bourdain eat when he visits Hong Kong? None of those Fook Lam Moon or Michelin starred restaurants (no offense to them, they gotta be fabulous), but ordinary pleasures that the locals enjoy everyday.

We both thought of Nam Kee Spring Roll Noodles.
I hate thick rice noodles (mai sin = 米線), except the ones from Nam Kee. That's how good they are. Most mai sin noodles are too soft, mushy, breaks easily, and not elastic. Hate them as much as I hate overcooked, mushy spaghetti. Ew. But the ones from Nam Kee? Wonderfully chewy and stretchy (a weird word to describe noodles? Hehe), just the right size of thickness, they're simply the best!

When you have a chance to visit, order the one with tender pork and add spring rolls, with spicy soup base, but start with mild. Just in case you don't speak Chinese and the cashier doesn't speak English, print this out 小鍋豬腩肉米線加春腃. I can't risk you ordering anything second best due to language barrier ^_^.

I've been singing praises for the noodles, but everything else on the bowl makes the perfect dish. The soup base? Deliciously spicy with a bit of a tang, I normally slurped my bowl dry. The meat? Tasty, tender and juicy. The Chinese preserved vegetables and minced pork added extra flavors, the beansprouts are great for the extra crunch and texture, the beancurd sheets fooled me into thinking I am eating healthy food (haha!), and the spring rolls...they aren't ordinary spring rolls. They are gloriously chewy, echoing the elasticity of the noodles. Plus, they're totally affordable! HK$25 for a giant bowl, add HK$6 for the spring rolls.

In short, thatsoneheckofacheapandyummynoodles.

Go go go!

Nam Kee Spring Roll Noodles
They have quite a number of branches across HK islands.
I went to the one in Central (the night when I was broke from buying lenses and couldn't afford pricey food from Soho):
Stanley Street 66-72, Central, Hong Kong.
中環士丹利街66-72號地下
Tel: 2576 8007
Visit their website to find out more.