Let me state right off the bat that facing off Kok Kee and Koung's wanton mee isn't going to be meaningful - because it is a case of comparing apples and oranges - they are different things. Kok Kee and Koung's are similar as wanton mee in the same way as apples and oranges are both fruits.
But, I am doing this show down anyway because many people have asked me "which is the best?". Singaporeans...... ๐
The reason why I am saying that we are comparing apples with oranges is because Koung's is the thick lardy sauce type while Kok Kee is the drippy brothy sauce type.
Which is better? It's really a matter of personal preference. If you must have lard and a bit of spiciness in your wanton mee sauce, then Koung's is your best.
If you prefer drippy savoury, not so spicy sauce, Kok Kee is your best. I've no idea what is in Kok Kee's signature savoury brothy sauce - they wouldn't give you the recipe even if you offer them $2 million (someone tried and was rejected ๐ฒ ).
If you like full blown lardy sauce go for Koung's. At Koung's you can also help yourself to more crunchy pork lard "croutons".
If you prefer savoury bouillon type sauce with a subtle mysterious earthiness like truffles, yeah.... Kok Kee is for you.
If we compare egg noodles. Kok Kee's thick noodles are a little stiffer and more resistant to penetration by wet sauces. So it is a little crunchier to the bite. The savoury flavour of Kok Kee's noodles come from the drippy sauce clinging onto the strands.
Koung's egg noodles are also thick but they absorb sauces a little more, so they can become slightly less crunchy, if left in the sauce too long (like taking 10 minutes per Instagram shot). Ten minutes wait is an eternity for dining companions and the noodles... .
It is easier to separate the two in the char siew department. Here Koung's sweet slightly toasty self roasted tender juicy char siew have the clear edge. Kok Kee's char siew is quite dry and stiff while its sweet savoury flavour is relatively weak and flat.
Koung's pork - dried scallop - dried sole fish soup and wantons are better than Kok Kee's in my opinion. Koung's and Kok Kee's wantons are the similar traditional type but Koung's are slightly bigger in size. Twice I was at Kok Kee, I couldn't get inspired to take pictures of the wantons ๐
OK there you have it - Kok Kee or Koung's? It depends on the type of sauce, noodle and char siew you like more. Just as it is legit (in Millennia speak) to like both apples and oranges, one can like both Kok Kee and Koung's (for different reasons).
Me? I like both and it is not a cop out to say that because they are as different as apples and oranges to me. If I am down to my last $4 though, I will spend it on Kok Kee and still get 50 cents change ๐
Restaurant name: Koung's Wanton Mee ้พๆฐไบๅ้ข
Address: 205 Sims Ave, Singapore 387506
Nearest MRT station: Aljunied (East West Line)
Tel: +65 6748 0305
Hours: 8:00am - 8:30pm (close at 7:30pm on Mon)
Restaurant name: Kok Kee Wanton Mee ๅฝ่ฎฐไบๅ้ข
Address: 505 Jurong West Street 52, stall #01-14, Singapore 640505
Nearest MRT Station: 5 minutes walk from Lakeside station (East West Line)
Hours: 7:00am - 12:00 noon (Weds off)
Date visited: 20 Aug 2020
Amk 453 wanton Mee at Mayflower market. No prizes for guessing who is this.
ReplyDeleteWe must try this 453 bro :-D
Delete453 was a very nice random find by me a few years back. My parents loved the older style taste and texture to it, though this year the standards have dropped a bit, especially when their son (or a helper) is the one making the dishes.
DeleteHowever, it is still pretty good stuff.