Food isn't impervious to the far reaching icy grasp of the hipster movement. 10 years ago, no one cared about Ramen, but these days ramen is so regular, its almost... passé. Same with dumplings, Sushi, Vietnamese Pho, all food staples which have been us with the dawn of time but have until only recently entered into the gastronomical consciousness of the forward few.
I predict, that in a few years, Wonton Noodles will similarly elevate to a hipster like status, becoming available in every new trendy corner cafe from new york to melbourne. And when it comes, it'll be rubbish, and it'll be expensive, since thats what hipsters do to food. They tart it up so it becomes inauthentic, and charge a lot for it just for the sake that it is 'in'.
For now, you might as well just enjoy it whilst its good, and aint no place do wonton mian better than Mak's Noodle in Central, on Hong Kong island.
The thing with Mak's though, is that they know they're good. I wouldn't go so far as to call this a unpretentious Hong Kong cafe. They serve their wonton mian in perfectly maintained blue China, with well dressed (older gentleman) staff and an english menu with not a single typo to be seen anywhere. The servings are small, and its actually pretty expensive. It is kinda... hipster!
What Mak's lacks in value, it makes up for in taste. The wontons themselves are plump, with the gelatinous skin tightly hugging the shrimp and chive innards. The noodles are firm, cooked al dente (as they should be) and require a decent amount of dental work to get through them.
The broth is pretty decent, not too fishy, but i've had better on Kowloon Side (for best Wonton Broth, see Good Hope Noodle in Mong Kok). For me, Mak's broth could be a little more peppery. Boiled kai lan is exactly that. Lightly boiled fresh chinese cabbage served with a giant dollop of premium oyster sauce on the side. Simple? Yes. Delicious? Also yes.
-photo credit: B. Flecker-