Sister Wah in Tin Hau
Tin Hau is a haven of good food in Hong Kong. Restaurants serving Hong Kong’s favorite beef brisket noodles once sprawled in this area. The well-known one was Tai Lee. Now there are just about a couple of good ones, namely Sister Wah and Eight Treasures.
Sister Wah Noodle’s predecessor is Tai Lee. Both Tai Lee and Sister Wah specialized in clear broth beef briskets. Tai Lee began its first chapter in Electric Street in Tin Hau about some thirty years ago. Sister Wah, her real name is Chan Yee Wah, was the head chef at Tai Lee. Her recipe for clear broth beef briskets earned an excellent reputation for Tai Lee.
Sister Wah eventually retired in 2003. Thereafter, her sons would like to start their own business. She then worked again at Sister Wah, which is named after her, and helped her sons with their business. For some time, both Sister Wah and Tai Lee stood side by side in Tin Hau. Chan Yee Wah no longer works anymore, but her legacy has left Sister Wah with Michelin One Star Rating for years in running. Meanwhile, Tai Lee also closed its doors in 2021 after thirty years in business.
The Sensory Pleasures of Eating Sister Wah’s Clear Broth Beef Briskets
The cost for a bowl of beef brisket noodles at Sister Wah is about $70. To be honest, this is quite costly as compared to the market price for a similar bowl of noodles. I had no doubt that it would be good, however, after all it takes a lot for any restaurant to earn a Michelin One Star rating. I did not know what about it that would make it so special however, so I dug in with a whole lot of anticipation.
It was within the first bite of Sister Wah’s beef brisket that I understood why it really stands out as one of the best beef brisket noodles in Hong Kong. It is unusually smooth in its texture. Needless to say, it was flavorful too, but the velvety smoothness was unique. A bowl came with just a few pieces and I savored each in amazement.
Sister Wah is Shanghainese and this is shown in the menu of the restaurant. Besides the common items of beef brisket noodles, there is a selection of dumplings in red chili oil, drunken chicken and other Shanghainese dishes. This is also quite a different feature from other noodle shops in Hong Kong.
The spirit of a clear broth beef brisket is in its broth, and Sister Wah’s broth is made in a secret recipe of more than ten herbs. Since I had the first bowl of beef brisket noodle in Tin Hau at Eight Treasures, I will say a few words more on the beef brisket noodle there.
A Brief Word about Eight Treasures
Eight Treasures, also specializing in beef brisket noodles, came into the scene in 2018. Despite being a relatively new player, Eight Treasures has also earned Michelin One Star rating.
Diners who have been to both Eight Treasures and Sister Wah would know that their recipes are so different that it was not really competition. The beef briskets at these restaurants are simply different, but both are equally good in their unique ways.
In terms of texture, the beef briskets at Eight Treasures pales in comparison to Sister Wah. However, because of the herbs that the chef uses in its broth, the soup and the whole experience is a lot more stimulating at Eight Treasures. The dried angelica sinensis in the soup tames the fattiness of the beef and it feels like eating medicinal cuisine (and it is very pleasant). Furthermore, Eight Treasures offers different cuts of briskets with different pricing. I think, however, that the most common kind of beef brisket there is certainly good enough.
Sister Wah does have a decades-long expertise in its food. And for that it is rightly a pillar of food heritage in Hong Kong.
Source
www.hongkongd.com on Clear Beef Briskets in Tin Hau.