By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Oct 8: Traditional Hakka pan mee, or “banmian”, is known for its hand-cut flat noodles served in a comforting, easy-to-digest broth, with diners able to choose between mild and spicy variations.
At the Peach Garden Food Centre along Jalan Song, this humble noodle dish has found a loyal following through the efforts of 50-year-old Ngui Chong Siang, better known as Ah Lek.
Carefully adapted to suit local tastes, his signature pan mee has become a popular staple among Kuching diners.
While pan mee is widely enjoyed throughout Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, Ah Lek’s version, served either in a delicate anchovy-based broth or tossed in a flavourful house-made sauce, has carved out its own niche, standing proudly alongside Sarawak’s iconic noodle dishes.
With 35 years of culinary experience, Ah Lek has dedicated much of his life to perfecting the traditional Hakka favourite.
His journey began as a teenager and later took him to Singapore and Brunei, where he further honed his skills in professional kitchens.
He first began making pan mee in 1996 at an eatery in Kuching’s 3rd Mile area, steadily refining the recipe and technique that would eventually turn the dish into a local favourite.
Before returning to Kuching to specialise in noodle-making, Ah Lek spent two years working as a chef in Brunei, where he learned the craft from a Sabahan colleague.
What attracted him to pan mee was the challenge itself.
“Not many people wanted to make hand-cut noodles because they require much more effort than using ready-made noodles,” he told DayakDaily.
Inspired by his Hakka roots and encouraged by the diversity of Kuching’s food culture, Ah Lek saw an opportunity to preserve and share a culinary tradition that holds special significance to his heritage.
Today, he takes immense pride in the authenticity of his noodles, a commitment that has earned him a loyal customer base over the years.
“Most of the ingredients for the broth and savoury sauces can be found in the local market. The signature taste comes from how you combine the ingredients and carefully balance the preparation to create a flavour that suits the local palate.
“It’s a continuous process of improving and refining my skills to ensure consistency, so that people can recognise the taste as something that comes from my kitchen,” he said.
Coming from a family deeply involved in the food business, Ah Lek understands the importance of maintaining both personal standards and the family’s long-established reputation.
“Some of my family members have been serving quality food for many years, and many people in Kuching’s culinary scene know our background. We want to uphold that reputation,” he said.
Since 2022, Ah Lek has been operating Uncle Lek Hakka Pan Mee Cuisine alongside his brother-in-law, Kelvin Then. The stall, easily recognised by its distinctive logo featuring Ah Lek’s caricature, has become a familiar sight at Peach Garden Food Centre.
Then, who also brings decades of culinary experience to the business, assists in preparing the stall’s range of pan mee dishes, which are available either in a rich anchovy broth or tossed in their signature sauces.
The soup version features hand-cut noodles served in a savoury anchovy-based broth and topped with braised minced pork, mushrooms, “pucuk manis” (sweet leaf), meatballs, fish balls and crispy fried anchovies.
For those who prefer a richer flavour profile, the dry version is coated in a special house-made sauce and can be ordered in either mild or spicy varieties.
“This is a humble traditional Hakka dish prepared for the local community. I warmly invite everyone to come and try my pan mee, experience its unique flavours and share their feedback,” he said.
Looking ahead, Ah Lek remains committed to preserving the essence of traditional Hakka pan mee while continuing to refine the dish to suit evolving local tastes and introducing new variations for noodle lovers to enjoy.
Uncle Lek Hakka Pan Mee Cuisine is located at Peach Garden Food Centre, Jalan Song, and operates daily from 5pm to 9.30pm, or until sold out, except on Thursdays. For enquiries, contact 016-890 1530. — DayakDaily
