Ming Ji Wantan Mee in Kepong
We all have a go-to order at a hawker centre. Despite the array of choices, most of us end up with the same dish that’ll confirm satisfy our bellies. When it comes to noodle picks, there’s always the staple wantan mee – the unbeatable trio of springy noodles, charred meats, and fat wontons is often unmatched.
While we can argue over the best place to get those dark sauce-drenched noodles, there’s a common consensus among most Kepong folks: Ming Ji Wantan Mee.
A decades-old food stall in Kepong
This hawker stall has been operating since 1985 from the same spot – just behind the popular wai sek kai along Jalan Antoi.
This place is actually hidden. There’s no proper signage. Dining tables are set unconventionally on the porch of the owner’s house. And the hawker cart where he plates up the noodles are just outside the residence’s gate, by the road.
But this doesn’t stop the stream of loyal customers dropping by to get a plate of its traditional Cantonese-style Wantan Mee – springy noodles in a puddle of dark, rich sauce, topped with lean slices of char siew.
Food at Ming Ji Wantan Mee
If you were to ask the stall’s owner what makes Ming Ji Wantan Mee stand out, he’ll likely tell you that it’s the prawn dumplings. A framed newspaper feature with a headline that praises the sui kow, proudly hung up by the hawker stall’s owners, is a testament to this.
While there’s no denying the dumplings’ fame, it’s the Wantan Mee that’s the real star of the show here. At just RM9, each plate features a mound of yellow noodles, sprigs of choy sum, and slices of char siew.
The noodles are springy, with each strand glazed with the dark soya sauce-based gravy so every bite of noodle is never bland. You barely have to toss the noodles before you start eating them.
The thin slices of char siew weren’t super barbecued, but the meat was nicely lean and thoroughly marinated.
Another dish that helped make the stall famous is the prawn dumplings.
While each plate of Wantan Mee comes with three small wontons swimming in a bowl of an anchovy-based soup, the homemade sides here are not to be missed.
There are two styles of dumplings to order, each priced RM2.20 per piece.
The classic sui kow, with minced meat and large chunks of prawns, are satisfyingly seasoned and pretty affordable given its whopping size – it barely fits in a soup spoon.
And then there are the shrimp dumplings, the stars here. Each envelops two whole shrimps in delicate wonton wrap.
The shrimps were fresh and fully absorbed the flavours of the broth – legend has it, the owners refuse to serve these homemade bites unless they can get their hands on fresh shrimps from the market.
The verdict
If you’re looking for a nostalgic, old-school wantan mee – think the kind you can only get from a family-run business that has kept its recipe for years – then Ming Ji Wantan Mee will be worth a visit.
Though its offerings are simple, and the noodle portions is just reasonable for RM9, the deep, rich taste of Ming Ji’s wantan mee sauce and homemade prawn dumplings are the most enjoyable.
The stall opens till 9.30pm, though the owner is known to close shop once the noodles sell out – which happens more often than not.
Address: 2A, Jalan Antoi 1, Kepong Baru, 52100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Wed-Mon 10.30am-9.30pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
Ming Ji Wantan Mee is not a halal-certified eatery.
You’ll also want to check out these oldie-but-goodie stalls:
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Janet.