Malaysian Noodles for a Rainy Day at Katong Laksa Prawn Mee

Katong Laksa Prawn Mee

155 Jaffe Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

+852 3168 2478 ‎

RATING: 7.5/10

PRICE: 50-80 HKD per noodle

Hong Kong's weather has been rather terrible lately. It seems to be an everlasting repetition of fog, humidity, rain and split second of sunshine that just mocks you in the morning. So after trying to beat the weather at Expresso Alchemy on a gloomy saturday day.... we thought we just had to, yes HAD to, end the day with some 'asian-style soul food' to literally warm our spirits.

By the time we left Quarry Bay, the morning-drizzle had turned into a full-on-rainstorm that completely rendered our tiny umbrellas useless. Anyone else in their right mind would have called it a day, but we took a cab all the way to Wanchai for what people had written in Openrice and numerous other forums and blogs as the most 'authentic' laksa and prawn mee in Hong Kong.

Thankfully it was relatively easy to find, and we arrived quickly enough to find the place totally deserted except for one other customer... Apparently not many people are eager enough to venture out through rain-storms for a bowl of laksa. 

Anyhow after quickly gazing at the photos of the dishes shown along the wall, we settled on shared bowl of Supreme Prawn Mee Noodle and Laksa with Squid Ball. They did have english menu and quite a few choices of Laksa and Prawn Mee Noodles as well as other Malay dishes! They seem to be quite popular too (judging by open-rice) and maybe one day if I can beat my love for Laksa, I'll get to try it before I leave Hong Kong.

Althouh I can't remember the LAST time I had Laksa, as a novice (and almost a fresh) laksa-taster, I could tell that this was one amazing bowl of laksa. I know, I know the ones in Malaysia are oh-so-much better, but still! I can't travel all the way to Malaysia for a bowl of Laksa on every rainy day! Plus, the soup was so rich and thick and full of flavours that it seemed genuine and authentic enough to warm and 'dry' my drenched physical and mental state.

Seriously though, the soup is amaaaazing! Plus the owner was really nice in that he allowed us to have 2-3 refills of the soup!! I can't remember the rest of the dish that well... (the noodle, the squid balls etc.) because all i really can remember IS the soup. Despite the colour, the soup wasn't spicy at all probably due to the coconut milk that made the whole dish become slightly sweeter and smoother in comparison to the chinese spicy noodles.

The Deluxe Prawn Mee Noodle (3.3/5)
After falling in love with the Laksa above, I guess I had an unreasonably high expectation for the Prawn Mee Noodle.. (especially.. since the restaurant's name includes the dish). It's not that it wasn't good! The noodles were thicker and chewier than the Laksa, and because we ordered the 'deluxe' version, we got lots of toppings which are always delicious to eat...

However, although I don't know if its meant to be, the soup was a little too fishy for my liking. Plus, in comparison to the 'heart-warming' laksa soup, it was rather bland and too ordinary to shine. We kept on refilling our bowl of Laksa for fresh soup rather than eating/drinking the prawn-mee one...

Maybe it's just that I'm much more of a Katong Laksa person than a Prawn Mee Noodle.. or maybe i'll just try it at another place once more! :)