Kok Kee Wanton Mee – The Rebirth of Singapore’s Most Beloved Hawker Dish

In the old heartland estate of Jalan Besar, there sits a quaint cluster of hawker shophouses. The latest addition? The legendary Kok Kee Wanton Mee!

Being here on the afternoon of their grand opening, I was awe-struck by the stall which was exuding a commanding and strong aura that was fuelled by the clanging cymbals and banging drums of a lion dance troupe. The stall also had the support of friends, family, and loyal customers. Needless to say, it attracted the attention of the regular lunch crowd and curious passersby.

Fans will surely remember the nightly long queues for this famous wanton mee back at Lavender Food Square.

Everything on the menu is $5 now (a slight $0.50 mark up from before). To our pleasant surprise, every mouthful of Kok Kee’s soft and springy noodles  with their special homemade sauce still tasted splendid. And the noodles still sent us on a quick trip to food heaven… Yes, they may have been out of business for 2 years, but some things never change!

Apart from their noodles, Kok Kee Wanton Mee is renowned for their shui jiaos, and crispy wontons that explode like stardust. Needless to say, they were scrumptious! I was taken back to my childhood days — munching on bite-sized dumplings while my feet dangled above the ground from one of those red plastic kopitiam chairs.

The barbecued pork was tender and juicy, albeit lacking a deep reddish-brown hue and charred edges. The fresh leafy vegetables and mildly fragrant broth were comforting and soothed my soul. It is true, there is just something so special about the noodles here that makes it one of Singapore’s most beloved hawker dishes.