I'm back again at Bagan Samak this weekend - not for freshwater food but for a wantan mee that every local here loves. This place comes so highly recommended that I was willing to drag myself out of bed at 7.30am on a Sunday.
The restaurant is inconspicuously located within a row of houses. Definitely easy to miss if not for the accuracy of Google maps and the crowd gathering outside.
At 8am, the place was packed but thankfully we didn't have to queue for a seat. Our orders were promptly taken and we ordered everything on the menu since they only had two dishes to offer (see banner in photo below).
While waiting for food, the roast pork stall across the road caught my attention.
The friendly owner shared that he's only open on Sundays. Judging by how much roast pork is left, I'd think it's best to arrive before 9 am to avoid disappointment!
Back to my seat and the noodles have also arrived.
Let's makan!
Wantan Mee (5/5)
On the menu it says "Arang Wantan Mee" or Charcoal Wantan Mee. I initially thought the name refers to the dark colour of the sauce but I was clearly mistaken.
The charcoal was referring to the unique smoky aroma in the sauce. The smokiness was not overpowering and complemented the fragrance of the dark soy sauce and lard! Paired with the springy noodles, crispy wantan and yummy char siew, it was a highly enjoyable plate of wantan mee.
Pork Kuay Teow (5/5)
The soup packed a ton of porky goodness! It's quite different from the few famous ones you can find in KL. The broth is on the "sweeter" side so I'm guessing they either used turnips or yellow beans as their soup base. No thirst after the meal as well so if any MSG was used, the amount should be pretty negligible.
Toppings wise, they were very generous with the well-prepared pork liver, intestines, kidney, stomach, tongue and meat. A really simple and satisfying bowl of pork noodles.
Roast Pork (5/5) -Sunday only-
Look at how balanced the meat to fat ratio is! The skin was crispy while the meat was juicy and tender. I'll plan my return visit on a Sunday morning just to enjoy this roast pork.
Vietnamese Coffee(4.5/5)
The robust and bold flavours will definitely wake you up! Extra syiok way to end the meal.
Overall, I highly enjoyed my meal at this hidden gem! Everything served exceeded my expectations - mind you, early morning Sabby is quite hard to please. Be sure to make a detour here if you're ever near Bagan Samak for breakfast!
Sabbylicious Makan Rating
Food : 5/5
Price : 5/5
Environment : 4/5
Service : 4/5
Must order : Wantan Mee, Pork Mee, Roast Pork(Sunday only)
Operating Hours Tuesday - Sunday (7:00am–12:30pm). Closed on Monday.
Location
Bagan Samak Wantan Mee 芳峰小吃 Jalan Pekan Lama, 34950 Bandar Baharu, Kedah