Prince Charming Upgrades “One Bowl of Noodles” to Delight Girls

Text & Photos / Wu Jiahui, Excerpted from / Magnum Publishing’s “Hong Kong Old Flavors: 50+ Hidden Eateries in Hong Kong Alleys”

Girls all say that serious men are the most adorable. The Michael from One Bowl of Noodles adds the qualities of having ideals and never giving up—earning him the title of “Prince Charming.” It’s not meant as ridicule; it’s truly an observation inspired by watching the ups and downs he’s endured at One Bowl of Noodles.

Initially, he gave up his job at an advertising agency and dove into the completely unfamiliar food and beverage industry simply because the rent was cheap. Michael dreamed of making his first fortune by serving Hong Kong’s universally loved chopped innards noodles paired with a unique wide egg noodle he had tried years earlier. Unfortunately, despite all his plans, fate had other ideas. A string of misfortunes followed—one after another. Before the restaurant even opened, the renovation cost him all his savings of hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars. After opening, licensing issues led to continuous fines, and he even mistakenly hired undocumented workers, resulting in a lawsuit. He was fortunate to only receive community service instead of jail time.



The exclusively made wide egg noodles at the time
Every night after closing, Michael had to rush off for community service, then return to the shop to wash dishes. Even his New Year’s Eve dinner had to be scheduled after all that work, making it feel pitiful and bleak. Michael said, “I was in debt, customers kept criticizing the food quality, I was very discouraged and also unwilling to give up.”

Because he was unwilling to give up, Michael decided to abandon the chopped innards noodles and start anew, focusing everything on food quality. After all, not being formally trained, as an outsider to the food industry, to cook exceptionally well, he naturally had to swallow his pride and ask for help. From family to friends, and even customers, they all became Michael’s teachers.

The current signature dish of the shop—Fermented Glutinous Rice Pork Belly with Thick Noodles—was created by combining his mother-in-law’s technique for braising pork with his mother’s homemade fermented glutinous rice. After advice from friends in the food industry, the resulting pork belly is tender yet elastic. For those who prefer a more refined taste, butterfly pork belly is an option. This cut, connected to the pig’s lung, is named for its butterfly-like shape. It has tendon running through it—the tendon is crispy, the meat soft and tender—and there’s only one such piece per pig, making it very rare. The different types of pork belly and the Q-textured two-centimeter-wide egg noodles complement each other perfectly.



As for the wide egg noodles, which were available from the time the shop opened, there’s a story behind them too. Because the noodles are unusually wide, they required a dedicated machine to produce. As a small shop, One Bowl of Noodles didn’t order in large quantities, so the noodle supplier naturally refused the order. Eventually, they found the veteran Fook Kee Noodle Factory. The third-generation owner, also a young person, hit it off with Michael. Despite family opposition, he decided to lend a hand. After constant refinement, they finally succeeded in creating these exclusive wide egg noodles using a mix of chicken and duck eggs, combined with high-gluten and all-purpose flour, going through steaming and dehumidifying processes. Mixed with a specially made sauce of ginger, scallion, and garlic, the noodles offer a salty yet slightly sweet flavor that highlights their egg-rich taste, making the flavor even more irresistible.

Continuously Developing New Dishes
 

With this bowl of noodles, One Bowl of Noodles finally gained customer recognition, and the business began to see hope. But supporting an entire shop with just one type of noodle is no easy feat. Michael continued to innovate, using duck eggs and Shaoxing wine in a method similar to preparing onsen tamago to create Fermented Glutinous Rice Eggs. When cracked open, the duck egg yolk flows out like lava, mixed with the wine, offering a sip that fills the mouth with the deep flavors of egg and wine. Another recommended dish is Fermented Glutinous Rice Wrapped Intestines. There’s no need to elaborate on how dirty intestines can be. For hygiene, Michael carefully cleans and washes every layer of the intestines before putting them back together, then cooks them. Therefore, the intestines at One Bowl of Noodles not only lack any fishy or foul smell, but thanks to being braised in fermented glutinous rice, they are even pleasantly aromatic with wine.

“The intestines you get outside really aren’t edible, they’re so dirty!” says Michael. Don’t take it personally—he’s speaking from hard-earned experience after many failures. And having fallen before, he understands all the more how hard-earned success is. Even though the customer base is now stable, sometimes even leading to lines, Michael still refuses to grow complacent. He continues to develop new dishes with a humble, learning attitude. For example, the recently launched “Abalone Cheek” — braised pig cheek meat — was inspired by Mr. Lai from the neighboring Ah Hung Snacks. That day, while tasting the richly fatty, gelatinous, umami-packed abalone cheek, and chatting with Michael, the conversation turned to opening branches. Michael fell into thought, his face earnest with a hint of goofiness.

It’s that goofiness that led him to open One Bowl of Noodles, and One Bowl of Noodles taught him the philosophy of never giving up. These are all the qualities of what girls call a “lovable man.” Only, Michael is already married—ladies visiting One Bowl of Noodles, please stow away any wandering thoughts and just drool over the food.

[One Bowl of Noodles]
Address: 93 Wo Ful Road, North Point, Hong Kong
Phone: +852-2578-0092
Business Hours: Mon–Fri 12:30–15:00, 18:00–21:30; Sat–Sun 12:30–21:30
Even Celebrities Love It: Eric Kot