The Dish · 槟城虾面
What is Penang har mee?
A prawn broth boiled down every morning before the door opens. Here’s what’s in the bowl, where the recipe comes from, and where to eat it in New York.
By Chef Erik Cheah ·
Har mee means prawn noodles. In Penang it’s also called Hokkien mee (槟城福建面), and in Singapore it’s called prawn mee. Whatever you call it, it’s a hawker noodle soup, and everything depends on the broth. Ours starts every morning, before the door opens, with prawn heads, shells and pork bones boiled down in the kitchen downstairs at 11 Mott.
What’s in the bowl
At Wok Wok it’s the Penang Har Mee Bowl, D2 on the menu:
- Prawn-shell broth, simmered from scratch
- Chili prawn
- Fish cake and pork
- Kangkung and beansprouts
- A soft broiled egg
- Fried shallots
No base and no paste from a tub. Our prawns arrive with the heads on, because the har mee needs them more than the plate does. The kangkung comes from the Chinatown market stalls a block from our door.
Where our recipe comes from
Most of what we cook at Wok Wok is my family’s. The har mee broth isn’t even ours. It belongs to a family friend, another hawker, and we cook it the way he taught us.
I grew up across Penang, Ipoh, Malacca and Seremban, watching the same national dishes come out of every kitchen a different way. Same name, different hands. I trained at Per Se before opening Wok Wok, and this is the kind of cooking I came home to. Read the full story.
Where to get it in NYC
Wok Wok is at 11 Mott Street (at Worth St), Chinatown, down a flight of stairs. Look for the orange-red sign. We’re open daily: Sun–Wed 11am–9:30pm, Thu–Sat 11am–10pm. Walk-ins only, no reservations.
For pickup or delivery, order direct or call (917) 388-3627. Our phone assistant takes pickup orders, including orders for later. The signature Penang Har Mee Bowl with chili prawn is $18. On the phone you can just say “D2.” Our regular Penang har mee, without the chili prawn, is $14 at lunch and $15 at dinner. You can also pick har mee as the soup base when you build your own bowl. See the full menu, or read about our Penang white curry laksa.
Questions people ask
What is Penang har mee?
Har mee means prawn noodles. It is a Penang hawker noodle soup built on a prawn broth. At Wok Wok the broth is boiled down every morning from prawn heads, shells and pork bones.
What else is Penang har mee called?
In Penang it is also called Hokkien mee (槟城福建面). In Singapore it is called prawn mee. It is a different dish from the Hokkien Char Mee (F2) on our menu, which is stir-fried thick egg noodles.
Where can I get Penang har mee in NYC?
At Wok Wok, 11 Mott Street (at Worth St) in Chinatown, Manhattan, downstairs below street level. Open daily: Sun–Wed 11am–9:30pm, Thu–Sat 11am–10pm.
What is in Wok Wok's Penang har mee?
Wok Wok's Penang Har Mee Bowl (D2 on the menu) is a prawn-shell broth simmered from scratch with chili prawn, fish cake, pork, kangkung, beansprouts, a soft broiled egg and fried shallots.
How much is the Penang har mee at Wok Wok?
The signature Penang Har Mee Bowl with chili prawn (D2) is $18. The regular Penang har mee, without the chili prawn, is $14 at lunch and $15 at dinner.
Can I order Penang har mee for pickup or delivery?
Yes. Order direct on the Wok Wok website, call (917) 388-3627 for pickup, or order on Uber Eats, DoorDash or Grubhub.