Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee @ Paramount Garden – Life’s A Circus?
April 11, 2010 | 13,103 viewsWantan Mee is one of the most famous Chinese hawker food, and especially popular in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. In some places, wantan mee is also known as ‘Tok Tok Mee‘, a fancy moniker given in reference to the knocking sounds of bamboo sticks made by the peddlers from the olden days, to attract the crowd.
For the best Char Siew, choose the corner cuts of the belly; For that smoky, aromatic and crunchy texture all rolled into one singular, orgasmic piece.
I first read about Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee from several food posts circulating on the net. The name no doubt, sounds intriguing, whereby “Char Siew” refers to the charcoal-roasted marinated pork, while the “Zhai” part is an endearing call for “Son”, in Chinese.
When you put them together, it’s as though Char Siew Zhai refers to the “Barbecued Pork Son” …. Sure gives a whole new meaning to the Chinese phrase : “Better give birth to a piece of Char Siew than you !!!” (A laden-with-sarcasm scolding usually given to an unfilial child by a parent).
Crunchy Sui Kow (dumplings in soup) filled with lots of wood ear fungus, chopped carrots, minced pork and chives
So what makes this place particularly stand out amongst the rest? For sure you’ve read about Petaling Street’s legendary Koon Kee wantan mee, the Sungai Besi famous one, the bamboo noodles at Nippy’s, or even Char Siew from the rivalling FSF and SFS. (Go figure …..)
Read on to find out how they literally TOSS their noodles around !!!
Catching some flies? Nah … It’s just the usual FLYING NOODLES.
Though this outlet in Paramount Garden (Petaling Jaya old town) is run mostly by foreign workers, but one can’t deny the charm (and undeniably circus-y act) of seeing them tossing and catching the blanched egg noodles around! Yeah, not a negligible height, mind you. For he was tossing them at least a metre or two above his head!
You can’t help but wish that the noodles don’t get stuck to the ceiling, or you might be served with extra peels of paint before you know it. 🙂
For RM4.50/USD1.20 you get a huge portion of wantan mee with char siew and wantan.
Just like how Nippy Noodles in Kuchai Lama literally galloped and rode on their ultra-springy egg noodles, Char Siew Zhai emphasizes on the finished product instead, by lightly blanching the noodles in hot water, then briefly ‘bathed’ in cold water for that springy finish, and finally tossing them with much gusto, using a sieve.This last step is supposed to reduce the sogginess and ensure that the noodles stay dry. Sort of like ‘airing’ the noodles, to retain that crunch, so once served on your table, the noodles still stay bouncy. And supposedly this makes the noodles absorb the sauces better.
Hmm, I ain’t no mad scientist to decipher or scrutinize the whole process thoroughly. But the end result was indeed satisfactory.
Slightly too thick for my liking, the wantans (minced pork dumplings) were downed without much fanfare
The noodles was brilliant, almost the best I have tasted. Shy of serving two persons, the portions were indeed very generous, and we were glad we did not go crazy with the orders. The charcoal roasted Char Siew was delicious as well, though I wouldn’t vote theirs as the best in town. Or maybe I was served with the leanest cuts, hence did not fully savour the TRUE melt-in-mouth wonders they might be.
Poached Chicken with Wantan Noodles (RM5.00/USD1.40) – Gorgeously yellow-hued, glistening skin. Smooth and a rather brilliant idea of pairing the chicken with egg noodles, instead of the usual kuey teow
The “Sui Kow” (larger dumplings with minced meat of pork and prawn, chopped carrots, yambean, wood ear fungus and chives) at Char Siew Zhai was passable as well, RM3 for a small portion of 3 pieces.
Trust me, you can devour the noodles along, with some pickled green chillies, without any need for any of their wantan, sui kow, or char siew.
All in all, I wouldn’t vote this as the BEST Char Siew Wantan Mee I have tasted ever, for I still prefer my Char Siew to be either slightly fattier (like Famous Seremban Favourites‘) or with a charred, smoky aroma (like Lenggong’s grossly under-exposed Loh Dee Wan Ton Mee). But Char Siew Zhai’s springy, crunchy egg noodles devoid of any unpleasant alkaline taste (from the lye water) was addictive, to say the least.
Not bad for a brand that has graced the food scene in Klang Valley for less than a year.
Addresses and Contact Numbers :
CHAR SIEW ZHAI WANTAN MEE
HQ : No 5, Jalan 20/13,
Paramount Garden,
46300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel No : 6012-628 1348
Opens from 8am until 10pm daily. Closed on one Wednesday every month.
1st Branch : Sunway Mas (Aman Suria)
No 37-1, Jalan PJU 1/3F,
Sunway Mas Commercial Centre,
47301, Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel No : 6012-669 1348
2nd Branch : SS2, Petaling Jaya
No 14, Jalan SS2/66,
47300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.
Tel No : 6017-689 0161.
(SS2 outlet served double-boiled soups as well)
Wanna know what the others think about Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee?
KY Speaks captured them tossing the noodles on video
Citygal went to the Aman Suria branch and licked her lips
Ciki was not too impressed with the Char Siew
Yummy Food We Love really loved the noodles and the Char Siew
Mimi and hubby loved their Siew Yoke (crunchy roast pork)

your pictures look good.. Did the SS2 branch took over the famous wan ton mee place in SS2?? I can’t seem to find it anymore..
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 11th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
I am not sure which one you’re referring to. Toast & Roast ah?
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paramount garden? hmm… ur in KL now isit? Btw, speaking of wan tan mee, i can never get my mind off the curry wan tan mee in ipoh garden south. or is that what it’s called? LOL dunno the exact name but its a coffee shop and around the area got alot of pet shops one
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Oh yeah, Ipoh Garden South that area. Curry wantan mee?! Aiks, there is a rather famous wantan mee stall at the corner coffee shop named Mee Sun, facing a pet shop.
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Eh! the noodles does look good! I hve read less than stellar reviews of this plc and avoided it since. Hmmm.. maybe i should go ASAP, cos I like my noodles smooth & soft.
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Oh ic …. so there are detractors as well? The char siew may not be up to everyone’s liking, but the noodles was rather good.
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Char Siew Zhai Aman Suria is my regular place if I need a WTM fix fast and tasty!
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Thanks for the link 🙂
I scare their ceiling full with “ng ng” of lizards if they accidentally toss the noodles too high =.=” *faint*
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 12th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
You’re welcomed! Hahaha …. to the ‘ng ng’ part. I think the boiling water can kill almost any germs. 🙂
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their tossed mee was great I’d say… went to their outlet in Aman Suria which is a heaven for char siew 🙂
anyway, their char siew still need a lot of improvements before they can be compared with FSF and 747’s version! Period
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havent even tried this and i stay in KL!
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I’m so going there to see the noodles toss! haha.
wow.. those glistering chicken.. me like!!
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Is this a new shop at Paramount. Thanks for the info will try it out soon.
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J2Kfm Reply:
April 16th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
Not exactly new though. They opened since last year the lady said.
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Char Siew Zhai Wantan Mee @ Paramount Garden, i’m coming over to try u tomorrow!
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Have anyone ever tried Penang’s Wan Tan Mee, with some Loh?
OMG, thats tasty!!
It have in this Video:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=110441442360278&oid=168708906477143&comments
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I personaly feel this “CHAR SIEW ZHAI” wan tan mee is nothing to shout about lah … the addition points its only like watching a clown cooking wan tan mee in circus only , the CHAR SIEW is very dry & hard , if I feel like eating wan tan mee in PJ I’ll for the “SEREMBAN shop” in Aman Suria.
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J2Kfm Reply:
May 3rd, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Haha … indeed, Famous Seremban Favourites is the name; and they’re opened for breakfast-lunch only. But when the craving comes, Char Siew Zhai is okay lah … not that bad. Quality inconsistent, I admit, but not dry and hard. Maybe different cuts?
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I went to CHAR SIEW ZHAI after reading about it on the www. It was so disappointing cause it was just ok and nothing great. I have tasted way better ones in many hawker centres. In addition i ordered the Curry Laksa and it tasted like tasteless hot water. I’m not exaggerating but it was that bad. Would not go there again.
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Oh ya just to add to the above.. i also ordered a plate of taugeh.. how wrong can u go with taugeh??.. even that was overcooked n tasteless.. gosh really a very disappointing lunch..
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