@movernie
Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle 坤記竹昇麵 is now opened in Markham, Ontario.
I heard this Chinese restaurant is famous in Hong Kong and it’s currently creating lots of buzz as the Markham is the 1st branch location outside of Hong Kong. This place is making waves via social media and heard there is a long wait and long lineups with all the hype.
I happened to be in the area today at around 5:30 PM, so I decided to make a stop. Luckily, there was no wait, no lineup, so I decided to give it a try.
The food menu is a simple list of typical Chinese soup noodles or lo mein on a plate with some snack bites appetizers.
Originally, I wanted to try the “Big Bowl Special” which has pre-determined meat choices but during my visit, they said it’s not available (as shown by a green slash on the food menu shown above).
Instead, I ordered a $16 CDN + tax “3 of a kind” bowl of soup noodle (you get to choose 3 types of meat). However, the store’s unique fungi shrimp dumpling is not included as one of the choices. You have to order the $17 bowl in order to get the fungi shrimp dumpling. The friendly staff recommended me to get an add-on of $4 CDN of an appetizer. I can choose an appetizer from the snack category. Since it’s a reasonable $4 CDN, I chose the fried wonton.
Overall MoVernie Opinion: I think this place is overrated, over hyped by social media or YouTubers.
Good & the Bad:
Good:
– soup has a good flavour of “Big Land Fish”, you can taste and know how much the chef put the fish into the broth.
– abundance of the “nine yellow” garnish that adds flavour and visual to the broth
– fried wontons appetizer comes with 8 mini pieces (good value at $4), it’s ok, as the filling is small, you could hardly taste the stuffing but it is crispy and nicely battered
– the home made chilli sauce was fresh and nice, it’s not as spicy as I would prefer but I give top points for making it on their own with nice ingredients in the sauce
Bad:
– They are famous for the bamboo noodles, unfortunately, I know taste is subjective, and everyone’s taste buds are different, I am NOT a fan of the bamboo noodles. It’s not thin enough for me, it has an unique flat surface. It’s not “song” or “bouncy”, it’s on the soggy or soft side.
– I prefer broth to be pipping hot but the broth presented to me was warm but not super hot.
– You could tell the noodles are freshly made, but it’s just tastes like fresh pasta but on the soft side and lack texture
– Wonton wrap is too thick for my taste, wonton has more pork ratio than shrimp and the filling lacks flavour or texture
– Same goes to the dumplings (water gao), again, it’s “mid” and lacks flavour and texture
– Beef tendon has nice texture but wish it has more pieces and some sauce on it
I think $16 CDN is overpriced and not worth the hype. I came here expecting more for the noodles in particular and it wasn’t my cup of tea. I think many places such as Wonton Hut, 3A Noodle 三品麵食 or Big Trio offer better tasty noodles texture and “song” factor and more pieces of meat than here.
I do have to say I like the service here. The staff worked hard, friendly and courteous.
I think the chef who sits on the big bamboo to roll the noodle dough only does it occasionally daily, perhaps in the morning and that’s it. Most of the time, you see machines grinding the dough even more thinner later in the day.
I am glad I came here to experience myself as I don’t like to rely on Youtubers telling me whether it’s good or not. This place maybe awarded Michelin rated in Hong Kong, but that doesn’t mean it shares the same top quality here. Ingredients, processes and management will differ here in Canada than Hong Kong.
Let me know your thoughts, did you enjoy your dining experience here at Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle?
Kwan Kee Bamboo Noodle 坤記竹昇麵 – Markham, Ontario, Canada
Website
Located in: King Square Shopping Centre
Address: 1CF8, 9390 Woodbine Ave, Markham, ON L6C 0M5
Phone: (365) 654-5926
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pvxXAzDbXJsHJcwj8
