Lan Heung Noodle 蘭香麵家

Rating: ❤❤❤

I love goose intestine but I have never heard of chicken intestine. I stumbled across this shop when I was searching for something new to try in TST. I was intrigued when I read that they were known for chicken intestine, so I knew I had to go try it. The shop was easy to find as it was located at the end of Kimberly Road, and it looked like your typical old Chinese noodle shop = no frills (basic stools and tables). There was also no AC. According to the waitress, Lan Heung is famous for 4 things - chicken intestine, beef tripe, mushroom, and pig soft bone. 

Chicken Intestine and Mushroom with Rice Noodle ($35) - I decided to try the chicken intestine and mushroom for my adventure today. The chicken intestine was long and thin, much longer than your average goose intestine. As it was just blanched, there was no flavor so they recommend you dip it in soy sauce to eat. The texture of the chicken intestine was too soft compared to the snappier texture of goose. There were parts of it where it was powdery which made it unpleasant to eat. Maybe the chicken intestine is just not my cup of tea. The mushrooms on the other hand were very flavorful as they had been adequately marinated. They were soft and sweet to eat. My other complaint was that the broth was way too oily - maybe from the chicken intestine. Goobs of oil were present on the surface of the broth and I can feel it in my mouth as I was taking a bite of the noodles. Sadly, I did not enjoy this bowl of noodle.

Look at how long the chicken intestine was!

Chicken Intestine and Beef Tripe with Egg Noodle ($35) - my companion ordered the chicken intestine and beef tripe. The beef tripe was black as that is the natural color of beef tripe apparently. I have always thought that they were supposed to be white as I have always seen them that way, but now I know that those are bleached. Aside from the color, the beef tripe doesn't taste any different as it was just blanched so there was no distinct flavor. I had to dip in soy sauce for any flavoring, so the key in judging the beef tripe was in the texture. Unfortunately, the texture of the beef tripe was too tough for my liking. 

Verdict - overall, I was not impressed with the chicken intestine or beef tripe. Compared to goose intestine, I'd much prefer that over chicken intestine. Perhaps this shop is worth a visit for those curious about what chicken intestine taste like.

Lan Heung Noodle
15 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui 
3173 8158