If there’s one thing I would sacrifice my calories for, it will be noodles. When it comes to eating noodles, there’s always a constant debate about what’s the best way to have them - soup or dry.
The die-hard soup fans will say soup adds extra flavour and depth to the dish, but while I will eat noodles in any style , I find noodles dry, with sauce and soup on the side irresistible.
Growing up in Singapore, the dry wonton mee has to be one of my favourite hawker dishes and remains close to my heart to this day.
Typically, this dish features thin egg noodles, thinly sliced char siu barbecue pork, boiled vegetables, boiled wontons and a side bowl of wonton soup.
The sauce is where the magic happens, every stall is different - some would use a slightly dark sweet sauce and chilli, while others even use a bit of tomato sauce.
We don’t get this Singapore-style wonton mee in Auckland, but we do have some pretty amazing renditions of dry noodles which are definitely worth a visit.
Here’s a list of my favourite dry noodle spots.
Old Town Malaysian Cafe located in New Lynn is run by Chef Moon and her husband, and although this small eatery has an extensive menu, the star dish has to be the dry Malaysian-style wonton mee. The char siew slices are on the lean side, which I like, and the springy noodles offer a perfect bite. Mix up all the elements - I normally add some sambal and pickled green chilli to it as well - and the result is a delightful balance of savouriness and sweetness. The slightly peppery bowl of soup that accompanies the main dish features three pieces of wontons with flavourful minced pork filling.
3110 Great North Road, New Lynn, Auckland 0600
Monday to Sunday 10.30am to 3pm, 5pm - 9pm
Phone: 09 826 1102
Vietnam Cafe boasts a legacy of more than 30 years, and arguably one of the noodle dishes that keep regulars returning is the ‘spare rib dry egg noodle’. I’m not even sure if there’s a dish that’s identical to this in Vietnam, but I’m sure glad we have it here. The dry egg noodle is served topped with seasoned pieces of spare, and also features minced pork, spring onions and crispy golden nuggets of pork lard, which gives the dish a fragrant and flavourful dimension. It comes with a side bowl of soup and a plate of crunchy bean sprouts and a lemon wedge, which you can choose to add to the noodles. If you love spice, I’d recommend you pair it with a bit of sriracha chilli sauce and pickled cut red chilli that’s readily available on the table.
38 Atkinson Avenue, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland 1062
Monday to Sunday 11am to 9:30pm
Tuesday Closed
Phone : 09 276 9014
Taisumyun is a hidden gem in Northcote where you find a famous East Malaysian noodle dish, the Sarawak Kolo Mee. Often mistaken as wonton mee, but it is very different. The noodles - that look like instant noodles but are springier - are tossed in lard oil, shallot oil and dark soy sauce and topped with minced meat and char siu slices. Mix it up, and it gets transformed into an incredibly delightful, aromatic bowl of noodles. When it comes to kolo mee, Taisumyun is the go-to for Sarawakians living in Auckland. They get this dish absolutely spot-on. This is just a tiny eatery, most of the time you’ve got to be prepared to wait - but for this kolo mee, it’s worth it.
30 Pearn Place, Northcote, Auckland 0627
Phone 09 418 3699
Hours: Monday 10:30 am–2:30 pm, 4:30–9 pm Tuesday Closed Wednesday 10:30 am–2:30 pm, 4:30–9 pm Thursday 10:30 am–2:30 pm, 4:30–9 pm Friday 10:30 am–2:30 pm, 4:30–9 pm Saturday 11 am–9 pm Sunday 11 am–9 pm
KIIN Thai proudly proclaims on its website that it serves Auckland’s ‘best Thai food’, but the dish that’s best to me is what’s listed on the menu simply as ‘fried chicken dry noodles’. If you love crispy chicken and garlic, then this can easily become your favourite dish too. Kiin’s dish comes with a well-seasoned crispy Thai-style sliced up fried chicken on a bed of egg noodles that’s flavoured in soy and sweet sauce. The noodles are cooked to perfection, and when you give the noodles a good mix, it absorbs all the flavours of the sauce.
It’s garlicky but not overpowering, allowing you to taste all the ingredients. It is also served with a bowl of soup on the side.
360c Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland 1024
Hours: Monday to Sunday 11.30am to 3pm , 5pm to 9pm
Phone :09 600 2166
Ajisen Ramen was founded in Kumamoto Japan in 1968 and with 800 shops worldwide, including four here in Auckland, it is famous for its rich Tonkotsu pork broth. But if you want to try something deliciously different, I’d say ditch the soup and have the classic Ajisen dry ramen. This dish features dry tossed ramen with minced pork, chashu, tamago scallion and onion oil. The noodles are fresh made daily at its Newmarket store - mix well to absorb the delicious flavours of the rich savoury sauce beneath. Try this and it might bowl you over and convert you into a dry ramen lover rather than one with broth. Perfect too as we start heading to the warmer months of summer. You have to try for yourself to truly understand.
5/11 Kingdon Street, Newmarket
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 3pm, 5pm - 9.30pm
Sat & Sun: 11.30am - 9.30pm
Phone: 09 218 9977
