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Patronising Hin Kei since childhood, Hin Kei Noodles has been its operations for more than 20 years; established historical Myanmar food and cultural influences in Macau. Like the neighboring Po Kei, Nga Tim, and San On Lok Yuen, they all mainly serve Southeast Asian Myanmar style noodles.

Let’s go back to the migration trends led in the early 1970s. That time due to the anti-Chinese war in Myanmar, many Chinese moved to Hong Kong, Macao, China and Taiwan; hope to start a new life in different locations. Many overseas Chinese communities in Myanmar expanded tremendously, setting up small food stalls in the early days, to large-scale restaurants like we see today in Macau.

Most overseas Chinese from Myanmar, Indonesia, Nepal, and a small percentage of Chinese in Thailand, majority stayed within districts of San Kiu and the Three Lanterns Macau. Thus, different kinds of cuisines eventually introduced around those areas; and yet, its authentic flavors have well blended with local preferred tastes for years; all intended to create a unique, Southeast Asian cuisine. Sell in reasonable price and tastes so fragrant; it tastes sweet and sour, with a little bit of spice in it; it is definetely a good choice for takeaway or grab a quick bite.

Specialities

I believed every customers once seated, they will definitely order the “Curry Chicken Dried Noodles” or the “Fish Soup Rice Noodles” topping up soup base; it is Hin Kei’s signature dish. The most eye-catching thing absolutely goes to “The assorted fried food” stall counter. The whole piece fried chicken wings, fried pork intestines, sliced fish cakes, fish balls, samosas, spring rolls; and even my best favorite fried chicken thighs; once you knocked in at the doorway; you will see piece by piece hanging up, which looks so tempting.

Once hit evening sessions, crowd start to formed; the take-aways machines alerts kept beeping. So lucky an empty seat just right next to me; I quickly sit down and immediately ordered the signature pork’s blood with steamed vegetables, fried fish cake slices, pork ears and barbecued rice noodles. When starving, will order few more dishes of fried chicken wings and fried pork intestine; or change from stirred dry rice noodles to egg noodles; allow myself enjoy abundantly.

Apart from their yummy stired fried noodles, the homemade seasonings also reached its excellence. Especially their tiny plates of “hot chilli sliced onions” notebly, would need to order separately. Once the noodles arrived, you can mix together; it tastes very fragrant, with a bit of sweet and sour and spice in it. The more you eat, the more you go appetizing. Another must-try vinegar-dipped green chili condiments; it brings the whole noodle bowl to the next level.

Myanmar’s Food culture

Myanmar’s food culture is more frugal; composes with shrimp paste, chili, boiled beans and sauerkraut leaf soup as their main ingredients. Myanmar cuisine focuses to core fragrant elements such as oil qualities, spiciness, its overall fragrance, freshness, and unique sour and salty tastes. The cooking method mostly all fried, roasted, stir-fried, and cold dressings. Fried food is easier to preserve; thats why most Myanmar food in Macau are all fried. Their cold dressings is also one of the most popular picked items; because it does not require heating at all, and health wise, it can dispel the internal heat.

Geographically speaking, Myanmar is close to the sea shores and river sides; There are many fish kinds and prawns are easier to catch in a way. Therefore, they use seafood ingredients as their base resources; Thus, their ingredients such as the fish soup noodles, became their signature dishes. Many other Myanmar restaurants like to marinate bamboo shoots into sour ways; well stir-fried with other vegetables and meat, its outcome was just delicious.

Therefore, many locals love Myanmar food, which is fragrant and appetizing; The price is also very quite reasonable too. Just simply add in some shredded pork with egg noodles together can show its simplicity. If wish to eat more can consider the assorted noodle mixes; or if would like to go for a lighter meal can consider sprouts dish; it is one of the popular items for late night food lovers. The shop also sell bottled soft drinks, which is not easy to find.

Angela Fung

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