All About Hong Konger’s Comfort Spot: TamJai Yunnan Mixian

No reservations, no fussy table settings, just steaming broths and noodles that hit like a hug at TamJai! Here’s everything you need to know about conquering TamJai like a local!

Born in the mid-90s, this humble chain started as a passion project by two noodle-obsessed brothers who wanted to blend Yunnan’s herbal charm with Sichuan’s fiery flavours. Fast-forward three decades, and TamJai has become as much a Hong Kong staple as queuing for egg tarts or arguing about air-conditioning settings.

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What Is TamJai Known For

TamJai is all about Yunnan-style rice noodles, inspired by the traditional street vendors of Yunnan who serve noodles straight from their pushcarts. At TamJai, they’ve kept that spirit alive — you’ll see waiters pushing out carts of noodles to present your order with a smile! Whether you’re grabbing a quick solo bite or craving a hearty, soul-warming bowl that won’t cost a fortune, TamJai keeps it fuss-free and friendly.

And here’s a fun little quirk — TamJai is known for the distinctive accents of the waitstaff. Rumour has it, it’s all intentional! Picture this: lovely middle-aged waitresses serving your noodles while announcing your order in a thick Yunnan accent. Maybe it’s a clever branding trick, maybe it’s not — we’ll never know, but we’re totally here for it!

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TamJai’s Upcycled Surplus Pork Belly Lip Balms

Here’s another quirky move from TamJai… In March 2025, TamJai turned surplus pork belly into something unexpected — lemon-scented lip balms, made using natural oils from leftover pork belly and a blend of essential oils, handmade soaps free of artificial colours, along with lemongrass lemon-scented candles combining fatty oils with lemongrass and lemon oils for a calming aroma! This jaw-dropping initiative is all part of TamJai’s mission to be the sustainability superheroes of the culinary world! Each day, their bustling kitchens whip up hundreds of kilos of pork belly for those mouthwatering dishes. But rather than chucking the leftovers, they’ve joined forces with the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) to turn those scraps into fabulous, eco-friendly goodies. Talk about a tasty twist on waste!

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How Does TamJai Work

For starters, we love its menu (that comes in English!) containing pictures labelling everything — from the toppings and soup base to spicy levels and appetisers — to make life easier. All you have to do is follow the step-by-step process to build your perfect bowl of TamJai noodles! With its official TamJai app, you can scan a QR code to order! Fast and efficient with minimal interactions. Here’s the offical TamJai app for Android and Apple.

In terms of toppings and soup base, there are vegan and vegetarian-friendly options in the menu, including a set order boasting clear broth, various mushrooms and vegetables and veggie dumplings!

Sassy tip: Let’s also talk about the spice levels as it’s the easiest to get mixed up! The spice levels start with Level 10 Mild (least spicy), Level 5 Mild, Level 4 Mild, then progress to Mild, Medium, Spicy, ending with Extremely Spicy (attempt this at your own risk!).

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Team Sassy’s TamJai Order

“I like the TamJai Clear Broth as it’s got a savoury, milky flavour that’s so addictive! For toppings, I go with enoki Mushrooms and lettuce. Spice level: level 5 Mild — I can handle spice, but I also want to enjoy my meal! TuFei Chicken Wings is a must-order at TamJai! It’s the juiciest, meaty chicken wings packed with herb spices! I love including it as my form of protein.”

“If I’m with a friend, we love ordering the Supreme Mixian! It’s essentially rice noodles with pretty much all the toppings in one massive bowl! We’ll then order snacks like the Cucumber in Special Spicy Sauce and the Sliced Pork Belly with Mashed Garlic — just make sure you’ve got mints for after, but it’s worth it!”

— Jesse, Editor

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“My go-to order on toppings are Fish Tofu and Minced Pork, soup base is Tomato Soup and level 10 Mild spiciness! The Tomato Soup base isn’t like the ones served in Western restaurants, this soup base is light with pieces of fresh tomato. I also order an appetiser to share, like the Sichuan-style Century Egg that pairs so well with a bite of noodles.”

“It can get quite messy when you’re busy slurping away! Make sure you got a pack of tissues with you — it’s a must-have in all Hong Kongers’ bags by now…”

— Jowell, Partnerships Manager

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“My TamJai order? Spicy Sichuan “Mala” Soup with Minced Pork and Cuttlefish Balls. Recently, I’ve been loving konjac noodles instead of the default rice noodles because they’re lower in calories! You can also replace the noodles with a full bowl of veggies like lettuce and bean sprouts.”

“I highly recommend downloading the TamJai official app! You can collect points and exchange them for freebies like a plate of three TuFei Chicken Wings or Special Drinks! And if you ever need to locate the nearest TamJai, you can do it on the app. There’s various locations across Hong Kong!”

— Grace, Creative & Social Lead

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