Wonton Charlies - (Near Hackney, South East)

5 /5 Michael’s Reviews: For an authentic Hong Kong noodle bar vibe, check Wonton Charlie’s out. The wonton are spectacular! You have a choice of shrimp, pork or fish skin stuffed with pork wontons. Choose a fish or chicken broth and noodles, if you prefer. Add-ons include fish balls and crispy fish skin. I highly recommend the fish skin. Makes for a great addition to the soup. Noodles and broth were standard and not exceptional but in the end, it’s the whole experience that won me over.

4 /5 Nik Mortimer: After a 30 minute wait (expected given the hype around this place), I was seated by a friendly waitress who made sure I had everything I needed. After ordering I waited 10 minutes for my food arrive which was great as I was hungry! I had the pork wontons, noodles w/ chicken broth and fish balls and I thought everything was spot on and really tasty. I thought the portions were correct and left feeling satisfied. Bonus points for having Pocari Sweat as a drink option!

5 /5 Supersupergirl: Wonton Charlies: A Refined Take on Traditional Noodle Craft. This newly opened noodle bar distills the essence of authentic Asian noodle joints, immediately immersing patrons in a familiar prawny aroma reminiscent of streetside eateries. While Hong Kong-style shops didn’t resonate with me, Macau and Chinatown iterations proved more aligned with my palate. The no-frills decor lets you appreciate your food. Payment is efficiently handled upfront when you order just like Asia while the menu’s streamlined structure is nice and simple (ie select broth, noodles/soup/both, extras). There are two broths, chicken and fish. The chicken consommé was clear and refined; the fish broth leaned salty with an overpowering sesame oil note. The wontons, fish balls were amazing and I was impressed they put Tianjin preserved veg in the broth which give it that special salty garlicky kick. You wont find fatty junk blended in or find bits of chopped fish bones. Everything is hygienic and modern. Interestingly, the noodles are a bit different in the sense that they are more like ramen and a little thicker than you would find in Asia. I would have liked them to be a bit more soft and they didnt absorb the broth flavours. Open for just a few afternoons, this place has long queues. I enjoyed dining here because it feels like youre in the states even though Ive never been. It peaceful and inviting because its not as noisy and dirty like Asia. They even have free refillable Jasmine Tea in these cute cups that are ceasing popularity in HK due to being old fashioned.

4 /5 Jaffa The Orange (TheOrangeJaffa): Had an overall good experience at Wonton Charlies. We went on a busy weekend and had to queue outside, which was fine. The inside of the restaurant is really cool with a great vibe, and the food came quickly and was tasty. The only issue was the fish skin, which had sold out but no one told us when we ordered. I had to ask where it was before being told it would be refunded. At the end, no one mentioned the refund, so we had to ask again and were told it had already been processed. It would have been nice if they had communicated that without us having to chase for it. Overall, a great atmosphere and good food.