Sarawak wanton noodles ($6.80)!
City Hall hawker Sarawak wanton noodles — kolo mee with red char siew slices, fried wonton skins, chilli paste, choy sum, side soup with wantons, chai poh. $6.80.
Lunch today: Sarawak wanton noodles at City Hall, $6.80. 😋
What was on the tray ($6.80):
- Kolo mee bowl: bouncy thin noodles + red char siew slices, fried wonton skins, chilli paste, choy sum, scallions.
- Side soup bowl with wantons + scallions.
- Chai poh (preserved radish) in small dish.
This is the Sarawak take on wanton mee, and it eats quite differently from the Singapore version. The noodles are kolo mee style: thinner, springier and tossed dry in a light savoury seasoning (with a little lard fragrance) rather than the dark sweet sauce we’re used to here. The char siew is the giveaway, sliced thin with a distinct red-tinged glaze (the char siew is coloured with red sauce, a Sarawak hallmark) rather than the caramelised mahogany of local roast pork.
Instead of plump boiled wantons in the noodles, you get fried wonton skins scattered on top for crunch, with the actual wantons served plump in a separate clear side soup, the way it should be so they don’t go soggy. A small dish of chai poh (preserved radish) adds a salty-sweet, slightly crunchy counterpoint, and the chilli paste is there to stir in for heat. A nice change of pace from the usual hawker plate.
Overall: 4.2 / 5. Bouncy Sarawak noodle bite, generous red char siew slices, and fried wonton skin for crunch. A reliable Sarawak-style bowl. 😋👍🏼
