Syed Putra can finally get to eat famous HK Mak"s Wonton mee

[earthquake]

Famous Hong Kong Wonton Noodle Shop Mak Man Kee Coming To S’pore, Muslim-Friendly Version Sold Here​

Not to be confused with the rival Mak’s Noodle, which opened in Singapore in 2015 and exited in 2022.

Tasha Ting
28 Jun 2025 at 15:00



Remember Mak’s Noodle from Hong Kong? It opened in Singapore 2015 at Centrepoint, serving wonton noodles. It branched out to a second outlet in Westgate, before quietly exiting Singapore altogether in 2022. That brand was founded in Hong Kong by the son of Guangzhou’s “King of Wonton Noodles”, Mak Woon-chi, the man who started all the Mak’s noodle spin-offs. Back then, it was brought to Singapore via a joint venture between its third-gen owner Tony Yung and F&B company Asia Gourmet.

Now, its close rival is venturing into Singapore – with a Muslim-friendly twist.

Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop, the 68-year-old Michelin Bib Gourmand wonton mee brand from Jordan in Kowloon, Hong Kong, will be coming to Singapore on 18 July 2025. Well, sort of. Its noodles will be served exclusively at cha chaan teng Joy Luck Teahouse’s new dine-in outlet at Food Republic in Causeway Point.

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A tale of two Mak’s​

Mak Man Kee and Mak’s Noodle both trace their roots back to the same noodle patriarch – Mak Woon-chi, who earned the title of Guangzhou’s King of Wonton Noodles in the 1920s as he sold his food from a pushcart.

But they’re very much separate businesses, run by different branches of the Mak family.

Mak’s Noodle on Wellington Street in Central, Hong Kong was opened in 1968 by Woon-chi’s son, Mak King-hung. His younger brother was the chef. Today, Mak’s Noodle is still going strong in Hong Kong, with four outlets run by Woon-chi’s grandsons.

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Mak Man Kee in Hong Kong

Mak Man Kee’s legacy​

Meanwhile, Mak Man Kee was started by an uncle in the family. He began his biz via a roaming food cart in Jordan in 1945, before opening his first brick-and-mortar outlet at 51 Parkes Street in 1957. The shop has clinched a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since 2018.

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Modified Muslim-friendly recipe for diners in Singapore​

For its Singapore debut, Mak Man Kee’s wonton noodles have been modified for Muslim diners to be in line with Joy Luck Teahouse’s pork-free menu.

Instead of the usual pork, the handmade wontons here feature a chicken and prawn filling. Meanwhile, the soup is brewed with dried flounder, shrimp shells and chicken bones. The noodles are made fresh in Singapore using Mak’s traditional recipe, though duck eggs (used in HK) are not allowed here, so they’re substituted with chicken eggs. The final product was personally taste-tested and approved by Mak Man Kee’s current owner, Lesley Mak, the granddaughter of Mak Woon Chi.


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Noodles slightly larger portion in SG vs HK​

Priced at $8.80 per bowl, the Mak Man Kee Wonton Noodles (available dry or with soup) will be exclusive to Joy Luck Teahouse’s menu. Diners can also try their Zha Jiang Mian ($8.80), made with chicken instead of pork in a rich braised sauce.

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Wonton noodles at Mak Man Kee Hong Kong


Photo: Google/Tony Wu

The portion sizes in Singapore will be slightly bigger than in HK, where the noodles are famously served in a bowl a little bigger than a Chinese rice bowl and cost from HKD$46 (about S$7.50).

To ensure authenticity, Joy Luck’s kitchen team travelled to Hong Kong to train with Mak Man Kee’s chefs.

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Artist impression of Joy Luck Teahouse at Food Republic in Causeway Point

While there won’t be a separate Mak Man Kee stall within Joy Luck Teahouse, an in-store poster will be displayed to let diners know there is a Joy Luck x Mak Man Kee collaboration.

The noodles will only be available at this branch for now, since it’s the only Joy Luck Teahouse outlet with seating.

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Robert Chua (left), Lesly Mak (middle) and Robert's wife, Peggy Chua.

How the collab came about​

This collaboration was brought about by Robert Chua, the Singaporean broadcaster and businessman behind Joy Luck Teahouse, who previously brought in Hong Kong brands like Kam’s Roast and Tim Ho Wan.

“Robert met with Lesley Mak, the current owner of Mak Man Kee, and the two bonded over their shared passion for preserving heritage brands. With 68 years of history, Lesley trusted Robert to bring Mak Man Kee to Singapore for the first time,” says a Joy Luck Teahouse PR rep.

Mak Man Kee’s wonton mee will be available at Joy Luck Teahouse at #04-01/02/03/04 Food Republic, Causeway Point, 1 Woodlands Square, S738099 from 18 July 2025. Open daily 10am-10pm. More info via Instagram & Website.

 

[bobby]

If wanton mee got no pork is not called wanton mee

 

[Boonsiong]

What is Muslim friendly ? Means got pork but say no pork?