Char siew wanton mee ($5)!
Thursday hawker — char siew wanton mee $5. The premium-tier wanton mee with the upgraded char siew topping.
Thursday hawker lunch with BB — char siew wanton mee at $5. The upgraded wanton mee with the premium char siew topping.
We ordered:
- Char siew wanton mee — $5
The $5 char siew wanton mee tier is the slight premium over the standard $4-4.50 wanton mee plates. The premium pricing reflects the upgraded char siew quality — either more substantial portions of the roast pork, premium-tier char siew sourcing, or both.
The mee pok noodles were the substantial component. Cooked to that proper QQ chew — slight bite, not over-soft, not chalky undercooked. Tossed in the classic sauce mix — dark sweet-soy, chilli paste, a touch of vinegar, pork lard oil for body. Each strand coated thoroughly.
Char siew slices were the headline topping. The premium variant typically uses the proper Cantonese-roast technique with the multi-stage basting that builds the proper lacquered sweet-soy glaze. The fat-and-lean ratio leans the proper “char siew should be slightly fatty” direction.
The char siew portion was probably the giveaway of the premium pricing. The standard wanton mee plate has 4-5 slices of char siew; the premium plate at $5+ usually has 6-8 slices or larger pieces.
A handful of choy sum on top for green. The blanched leafy greens provide the small fresh component against the heavy sauce.
The side bowl of clear soup with three plump wantons (prawn-and-pork filling, thin skin) is the proper accompaniment.
A small dish of pickled green chillies on the side for the optional sour-spicy lift.
At $5 a plate this is the slight premium tier for char siew wanton mee. Standard wanton mee runs $4-4.50; the char siew upgrade variants run $5-6; the premium variants with abalone or other luxury toppings run $7-10.
The Thursday hawker lunch slot is the small mid-week break from the home cooking rotation. Wanton mee variations are some of the consistent rotations through the year, with the small upgrades (extra char siew, extra wantons, premium toppings) providing the variety within the format.
Phase 2 hawker centres continue to deliver the best Singapore food value-per-dollar. The wanton mee stalls have been steady through the years.
Overall: 4.4 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Solid char siew wanton mee — would re-order.
