Many of our well-loved Singapore hawker stalls have left us, for various reasons including recipes not passed down, lack of willing younger generation to take over the business, increasing rentals, and labour crunch.
When Kok Kee Wanton Mee Mee 国记云吞面 closed a couple of years back as the old hawkers retired, its fans felt that sense of loss.
When Kok Kee made its return, it is not surprising that it would attract a very long queue once again.
Its new location is within the Bistro 8 coffeeshop at 30 Foch Road, close to the defunct Lavender Food Square where the stall previously used to be.
Checked on the opening hours, Shirley (the lady often seen in front of the stall) said “12pm till sold out”.
(There is another Kok Kee Wanton Mee stall at 505 Jurong West Street 52 #01-14, said to be operated by the niece of the owners.)
There are those who call Kok Kee the “Best Wanton Noodles in Singapore”.
Some say it is “overrated”, and used to taste much better in the past. I am just happy to have it back.
If this is the very first time you have these noodles, you may not understand the fuss. However, Kok Kee has been part of my growing up years – had it since secondary school days (and I think this applies to many regulars as well.)
The line extended all the way till outside the coffeeshop, with customers holding umbrellas due to the pouring rain.
My wait was about 90 minutes or so, even though I gone down during an off-peak timing.
It has been cut shorter as some of the disappointed people in front of me left, though it is hard to gauge as there are customers who would ta-bao for the entire village.
A plate of Wanton Noodles is now priced at $5, and there are other items such as Dumpling Noodles ($5, $6), Dumpling Soup ($5, $6), Vegetables ($6, $8), Fried Wanton (price not indicated).
Kok Kee’s winning element is probably the special secret recipe sauce, poured all over the springy noodles with an agreeable bite.
It was almost the same as how I remembered it to be. That sauce is everything.
The noodles were springy yet with a soft bite, and didn’t have that strong alkaline taste.
To be honest, the thin char siew (that sometimes borders on tasting card-boardy) and pretty-average wantons were nothing to shout about.
BUT the overall combination was sumptuously addictive, and can keep fans coming back again and again.
The other typical order are the Vegetables. Somehow, Kok Kee cooks them till they are quite soft yet retained the crunch, and without the usual bitter taste associated with many vegetables.
I enjoyed the Dumpling Soup as well, somehow not as salty as I remembered it to be – which to me is a good thing.
Kok Kee Wanton Mee 国记云吞面
30 Foch Road Singapore 209276
Opening Hours: 12pm till sold out
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