Ipoh has plenty of places to get good wan tan mee. And Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee is one of them, even if their wan tan mee looks a little different from the average wan tan mee in Ipoh.
Where is this place and what makes their wan tan mee special?
Get the rundown of this place in this article, based on our experience as Ipoh locals.
Table Of Contents:
History Of Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee is a family business (now in its 3rd generation) and they have been running for more than 40 years even with the limited menu.
As such, wan tan mee is their signature (and only dish) and many claim that they serve the best wan tan mee in Ipoh!
Despite their popularity over the years, Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee remains a humble establishment with no other branches.
Location Of Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee is in Buntong along Jalan Sekolah. It’s just around the corner from Buntong Wet Market.
This is a simple residential area with several other family-run businesses.
From Ipoh New Town, it takes about 15 minutes to drive to Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee.
- Location: 542, Jalan Sekolah, Buntong, 30100 Ipoh, Perak
- Opening Hours: 4pm–10:30pm (Closed on Sundays)
- Contact: +6012-5953938
Ease Of Parking At Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee only opens from 4pm onwards and until 10:30pm, and their peak hours are from 7 to 8pm.
If you go early at 6pm on a weekday, you’ll be able to have parking close to the restaurant.
On peak hours, weekends and public holidays however, you may have to park further and walk a bit. It can be difficult to find parking even at 9pm sometimes.
Ambiance At Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
Because of its location outside of Ipoh Old Town and low-profile appearance,Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee does not feel like a touristy place.
And even though the buildings here are old, Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee is surprisingly very clean and tidy on the inside.
The open-air eatery does not feel warm in the evening.
Service At Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
It does take some time (more than 10 minutes) before drinks or wan tan mee come however, even on a non-peak day but this may be because they prepare each plate of wan tan mee separately.
And because the staff are all elders.
So if you do see a large crowd and you’re already hungry, you might want to eat elsewhere as service will be even slower.
Note: Drinks and food are paid for separately. Food at the front, and drinks to the server directly.
Food At Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
Wan tan mee at Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee uses thin slices of shredded chicken meat as well as very plump and crunchy beansprouts in dark brown sauce as the topping for their springy noodles.
This is unusual because most dry wan tan mee variations in Ipoh is served with char siew, and occasionally strips of black fungus or shitake mushroom.
You do have the option of ordering their wan tan mee dry or in soup form.
For the dry version, be sure to stir everything together well as the topping is salty. Once mixed however, the noodles have just the right amount of salt and taste.
Each plate of dry wan tan mee is accompanied with a bowl of soup that has 5 sizeable pork wantans. No choy sum in sight which is a pity.
The soup is tasty though and we did not feel thirsty after drinking it. Apparently, they don’t use MSG in their cooking.
Green chili is self-serve and they encourage patrons to only take the amount they need.
Quite a number of drinks are available at Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee but they do not serve coffee. All of their drinks and respective prices are listed on the wall.
You can get winter melon tea, soybean milk with cincau, or soft drinks like 100 Plus.
Pricing At Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee
We ordered 2 plates of dry wantan mee and 1 glass of winter melon tea and that cost under RM14.
In our opinion, this is a reasonable price given the portions, ambiance and taste of the food.
Conclusion
Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee is a local favorite for a reason. Their wan tan mee is delicious and not too expensive.
Moreover, the dining environment is comfortable even though it is without frills or air-conditioning. We do think that the wan tan mee here counts as good food in Ipoh and we will be back again.
Just try to come when it’s not their peak time else you may find yourself waiting for a long time for parking as well as food. Plus, the pork may have run out too, but the price will remain the same.
