Wantan mee for late-night owls

The wantan mee pairs well with chicken feet and mushrooms. — Photos: CHAN TAK KONG/The Star

A hearty serving of wantan mee is the ticket to soothe the growling stomach, especially for night owls craving for comfort food after a long day at work.

Wan Tan Mee Sg Besi not only fits the bill but is also a good place for city dwellers who want a “second round” after a night of hanging out.

One thing special about this stall is that in addition to serving the usual barbecued pork wantan mee, diners have other options to complement the noodles.

The noodles can be enjoyed with wild boar curry, braised meat, sui kow (meat dumplings), sliced chicken meat, mushrooms, curry chicken, roast duck and pork leg.

Most eateries serve wantan mee with a savoury sauce. However, Wantan Mee Sg Besi’s sauce is slightly different — it has that touch of savouriness with a sweet aftertaste.

A plate of overcooked, soggy noodles can quickly spoil one’s appetite but this stall did not disappoint. Its noodles were springy and made the meal absolutely enjoyable.

I paired the noodles with char siew (barbecued pork), which was a delight but I think having it with wantan would have been far better. Although the wantan comes with generous filling of pork, I felt more seasoning was needed.

We also tried the wild boar curry which did not disappoint. The use of coconut milk in the dish lent it creaminess without losing is spicy appeal.

The photographer particularly enjoyed the combination of braised mushrooms and phoenix claw (chicken feet) which were tasty and went well with the noodles.

Diners can also opt for yong tau foo with a selection of brinjal, ladies’ fingers, chillies and fu chok (bean curd skin).

The stall, we learned, has been operating for more than 30 years.

“The stall opens in the evening until late at night. People come here for supper as we serve a wide variety of food, ” a waiter said.

Aside from the usual pickled green chillies that always goes well with wantan mee, diners can also try dried shrimp chillies that I truly enjoyed with my noodles.

Wan Tan Mee Sg Besi is located at 304,302, Jalan Sungai Besi, Chan Sow Lin, Kuala Lumpur.

The stall opens from 6pm to 3.30am (weekdays), 4am (Saturdays) and 2.30am (Sundays).

Parking bays are aplenty next to the stall.