Noodle in the Haystack

Super Luxe Ramen

This could be the most expensive bowl of noodles you can find. Award-winning chef Yasuji Morizumi redefined traditional Japanese ramen by fusing it with Western-influenced cooking techniques and a hefty fine-dining price tag. The noodles served at his Hong Kong ramen restaurant, MIST, aren’t your typical Ajisen variety, but are freshly made every day using all-natural ingredients and a special tri-blend Japanese flour formula. MIST’s velvety smooth ramen noodles are offered in two different sizes; the thinner, “no. 26” variety is recommended for milder-flavored broths, while the thicker “no. 18” noodle is usually paired with bolder flavors, such as the miso and the signature soya broth. But the most unique characteristic of MIST’s noodles is that they cost upwards of $100 a bowl. Are they worth that price? Well, we’ll let you decide for yourself.

In addition to the in-soup ramen dishes, MIST does a funky fusion canapés-style ramen “sushi” dish of bite-sized bundles of cooled ramen noodles, with luxurious toppings such as ikura and tartar, served on mini silver spoons.
4 Sun Wui Rd., Causeway Bay, 2881-5006.

Juicy Noodles, Literally

Those looking for something sweet in Kowloon City flock to Golden Hall dessert shop. The eatery is so popular that the owners had to take over two additional store spaces on Shing Nam Road to satisfy the overwhelming customer demand for their low-sugar, high-flavor Hong Kong desserts. Although the menu lists most of the traditional sweet dishes (think tofu puddings, double-boiled milk and an assortment of sweet soups), Golden Hall is most famous for their exclusive house special desserts. Their fruit-flavored “noodles,” ($33) in particular, have become one of their best-selling menu items, scoring points for both taste and novelty value. The signature “golden ramen” is a combination of mango juice, agar and fresh milk, gelled and sliced into long, chewy strands. The refreshing mango noodles are then served in a “soup base” of thick mango juice, and topped with assorted fruits and sago. The other noodle choice is the “snow white hor fun.” These flat and slippery smooth noodles are made from sweet coconut juice and, like the ramen, are also served in mango juice with fruits, pop-in-the-mouth sago pearls, and additional tapioca balls.
5, 6 and 9 Shing Nam Rd., Kowloon City, 2383-3102.

Instant Pasta

Kwai Fong’s Kwai Chung Plaza is crammed here and there with snack stalls and eateries selling your usual selection of fishballs and siu mai on a stick, or freshly made sweet egg waffles and brightly colored bubble teas. One stall manages to set itself apart from the rest though by offering a unique food concept. Better known as Cooking Lion, this tiny food stall specializes in pasta dishes served in a portable paper bowl for street food style, on-the-go eating with, yes, wooden chopsticks. The angel hair pasta is a particularly popular choice—available in small or large sizes, the thin pasta can be topped with any of their different sauces (over five options available, all of which are made from fresh ingredients in their nearby kitchen) and served with one of their many topping choices, ranging from simple cheese-filled sausages to smoked duck breast and even assorted seafood ($11-$20). The angel hair pasta with white cream corn sauce and fried fish fillet is recommended, as is the Italian bolognese sauce topping. And if you can’t find something you like on their extensive menu, feel free to mix-and-match to your heart’s content.
Shop C07, 2/F, Kwai Chung Plaza, Kwai Fong, 9084-5656.

Local “Fettuccine"

Situated on a quiet stretch on Wharf Road (a few doors down from the recently Michelin-starred Hung’s Delicacies), Yat Woon Min noodle shop has garnered quite a cult following since its opening. The tiny store does a one-of-a-kind, two-centimeter-wide noodle, which combines the flavor of traditional Hong Kong style egg noodles with the al dente bite of Italian pasta. Owner Michael Lo calls these noodles “Chinese fettuccine,” and explains that the noodles’ unique texture and width make them perfect for serving in a soupless lo mein style, doused in Yat Woon Min’s special house sauce (a blend of dried shrimps, conpoy, garlic and soy sauce, among other things). The fettuccine noodles can then be paired with a selection of different toppings (starting from $28), which are similarly interesting: the thinly sliced ostrich meat is surprisingly tender, working especially well with the homemade shacha sauce, a sprinkling of fragrant sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Other toppings include chopped goose intestine, beef brisket, stewed pork shoulder, and a beautifully fatty stewed red pork belly. Yum.
93 Wharf Rd., North Point, 2578-0092.