Meal With A View

Story and photos by STEPHEN NG


The ultimate meal consists of good food and mesmerising sights.

When in Langkawi, at least one seafood meal is a must. Fresh, tasty and reasonably priced, it is no wonder that most visitors make a beeline for the numerous seafood outlets on here.

One such place that attracts patrons is the Pulau-Pulau Steamboat and Seafood Restaurant, fronting the yachts from all over the world at the Perdana Quay, which has an extensive menu that would satisfy the palate of both locals and foreigners.

According to the restaurant manager, Chin Siew Ling, between July and February, it is the Arab Season. “We have many of our guests from the Middle East, who enjoy our seafood here,” she said.


Great view: Enjoy your seafood meal with this view in the background.

The 44-year-old, formerly from Alor Star, said in the months of November and December, the Russians love to travel to this part of the world, and their favourite is the Tiger Prawns. “I had a guest, a gentleman from Russia, who ordered eight Tiger Prawns, weighing about 350 grammes each,” she said. “It is amazing to see him eat every one of them, and leave the restaurant feeling satisfied.”

The English tourists also like their Tiger Prawns big because they have never seen such big prawns before in their own country.

Tiger Prawns, one of the main signature dishes here, are being served as either grilled, cooked with curry leaves, Thai style, as deep-fried garlic or served with Tom Yam soup.


In charge: Manager Chin Siew Ling is at the helm of the restaurant

“Because the Tiger Prawns are fresh, they taste better with butter and garlic, dipped in Thai sauce. Fresh prawns have a special sweetness to it,” said Chin, who started the business together with her business partner, Ng Kim Pong.

Ng has been living in Langkawi since 1988, while Chin came to Langkawi in 1995. The 48-year-old Ng from Perlis was formerly in the stainless steel business but decided that he wanted to turn the wheel of fortune a second time.

Added Chin: “The tourists from China return to Langkawi throughout the whole year. Their favourite is the seafood steamboat, which comes with prawns, squids, noodles, mushroom, cuttlefish, vegetables, chicken, squid balls, eggs, fish fillets, beancurd and flower crabs. Guests can choose either Tom Yam or Chicken soup.

“Westerners and Chinese tourists usually choose chicken soup, but some of them are beginning to acquire the taste for Tom Yam soup.”

Local tourists, however, still prefer to try out the seafood that they serve here, said Chin. One of the other signature dishes is the Steamed Soya Fish, where the guests can choose anything from Sea Bass, Red Snapper to the Grouper.


Under the stars: Have your meal al fresco with swaying palms and lanterns

“Our Tiger Grouper, steamed with garlic, ginger, mushroom, chilli padi (bird’s eye chillies), and cooked with soya sauce, is a favourite dish with local tourists,” Chin added.

The restaurant which was opened on July 28, 2004 is frequented by Malaysia’s solo sailor, Datuk Azhar Mansor, who works at the Perdana Quay, which can accommodate up to 120 yachts at any one time. Several other celebrities such as Siti Norhaliza have also patronised the restaurant.

The restaurant has a halal certification, and at any one time, it can accommodate up to 200 pax. Open seven days a week from 1pm till 11pm, Pulau-Pulau Restaurant & Steamboat is located No G-12, Perdana Quay, Telaga Harbour Park, Pantai Kok, 07000 Langkawi. Tel: 04-959 4089.

Steaming Out In The Highlands

Story and photos by GRACE CHEN


To keep warm in Cameron Highlands, a steamboat dinner may just be the answer

The one point that Swee Pooi Choy wanted to push across was “honesty”.


United: (Left) A family that cooks together, stays together, insisted Swee Pooi Choy (far left) of Mayflower Restaurant. He is joined by his elder son, Kuan Wei, wife, Yoon Ah Ying, 62, (standing) and Kuan Hoe (with glasses).

To prove it, the 64-year-old owner of a steamboat restaurant who had just transferred his 21-year-old business to his two sons, would point to the signboard at his restaurant front.

On it was a complete listing of all the 21 items that will come with the hot pot order, specifically stating that there would also be nine different types of vegetables included.

“This way, my diners will know what they are going to get. As a diner myself, I am not too fond of playing guessing games when it comes to my food. This way, there is no doubt as to what we will serve,” said Swee.

Also written clearly on the sign were the prices. Let’s not play hide and seek with this, was what Swee, a former taxi driver and durian planter from Tapah, seemed to imply.

Sooner or later, the diner will have to find out anyway. RM13 per pax if you’re opting for only chicken broth, RM15 if you fancy some spicy tom yam soup and for a combo of both, it’s RM14. They also have a herbal porridge made of fragrant rice, dong kwai, red dates, boxthorne fruit and a host of other Chinese herbs. This will set you back RM16 per head.

But then Swee also reminded that honesty will only go so far.

The crucial test will still go back to the taste.

Now, in Cameron Highlands where Swee’s restaurant is located, steamboat meals are a dime a dozen and competition is great.

The question of who’s the best would be inadvertently left to the myriad of personal preferences among the varying human palate.

In Swee’s case, I would describe his steamboat meal as one slurping session that the diner would find hard to put an end to!

It did not take long to figure out that it all boiled down to the soup.

The chicken stock, which appeared bland at first, was well-infused and the tom yam base had a lovely spiciness about it which did not irritate the throat or cause one’s eyes to water.

The flavour was further improved with the addition of meat and vegetables, and the longer the fire burned, the sweeter the soup became.

To achieve a stock like this could only mean that the cook, Swee Kuan Wei, had spent many hours overlooking its concoction.

Kuan Wei, Swee’s elder son, has been watching his father brew the restaurant’s stock since his school days. Today, the 35-year-old has taken sole charge of the kitchen while his younger brother, Kuan Hoe oversees the front of the house.

Kuan Wei also proudly introduced his herbal porridge hot pot which augured extremely well with this professed rice congee lover.

Still, one should note that the porridge, which is very light, has a distinct herbaceous quality to it and some may find it slightly bitter. But if one is used to imbibing Chinese herbal soups, this would be no problem at all.

Like the soups, the porridge also matured very well over time.

At the end part, the porridge took a soupy but thick, starchy quality which was just as well for easy digestion.

Herein, one is advised to take into consideration the boiling time of items that will go into a steam boat.

Meat like chicken and beef should not be left in a hot pot for too long as this will make them tough and chewy.

Fish and prawns should be taken out as soon as they are cooked so that one can still taste the sweetness of seafood. The same goes for the noodles lest one wants to end up with mulchy, overcooked strands of starch.

As for the eggs, they should go in last. Cooking one’s meat on the spot and doing it together serves to remind one of camaraderie whether it be with one’s family or friends.

And therein, let’s not forget this parting advice from our good friend, Swee. “A family who cooks together, stays together”.

Mayflower Restaurant is at 77A, Persiaran Camelli 4, 3900, Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands. Tel: 05-491 1793 or 05-491 4793.

Top Local Picks

Street Food
Favourites from The Star Street Food Guide


Malaysians simply love street food and are constantly debating which outlet serves better Hokkien-style noodles or whether this Mamak stall or that restaurant serves better Roti Canai.

Penang
LAM MEE

LENG NIA COFFEE SHOP

Taman Lip Sin (Off Jalan Sungai Dua), Bayan Baru. Open 7.30am-12pm. Closed fortnightly on Thursdays.


The Lam Mee stall in Leng Nia coffeeshop uses rice sticks instead of the usual beehoon.

Lam Mee is also known as “birthday noodles” because it is often served during birthdays in Peranakan households.

Interestingly, the omelette is often coloured pink as a sign of auspicious tidings.

Crab meat is also part of the ensemble, though many hawkers find it too expensive to be included in their daily offerings.

Lam Mee seller Yeang Suan Heoh gets around this snag by substituting Japanese crabsticks for crab meat; the red markings on the crabsticks serve the double purpose of symbolising good tidings.

She also uses thick rice noodles instead of the usual yellow noodles or beehoon.

The noodles are served in a soup made with chicken stock, mushrooms, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, rock sugar, salt and seasoning powder; stir in a dollop of sambal for more kick.


Klang
GLUTINOUS RICE BALLS

STALL NEXT TO ECONSAVE

Jalan Raja Muda Musa, Port Klang. Open 8pm-11.30pm. Closed on Sundays.


The glutinous rice balls at this stall are served in either a ginger or palm sugar syrup.

Sandwiched between two wantan mee stalls, this stall has been selling glutinous rice balls (tong yuen) for the past 20 years.

The tong yuen (RM1 a bowl) comes plain or with crushed peanut filling, in either ginger or palm sugar syrup.

The plain version comes with two ping pong-sized balls.

They also sell an almost-forgotten Hainanese cake called bek tak buak (50 sen each), a plain boiled dumpling, eaten with grated coconut cooked with palm sugar, or ground peanuts and sugar.


Kluang
KLUANG TRAIN STATION CANTEEN

Jalan Station. Open 7am-12pm, 2-6pm. Closed on Thursdays.

There is something romantic about train stations, even tiny ones. And a train station with good coffee to make the waiting pleasant is a sure formula for love.

The fame of the Kluang Train Station Canteen has been carried far and wide, and many have been bowled over by its charms.

The wooden building with wired windows is the scene of much activity, as waiters dart in and out of the kitchen to meet the orders.


Lim Jit Chiang, 34, is the thirdgeneration owner of Kluang Rail Coffee shop.

Opened in the 1940s, the canteen offers simple fare - coffee, toast, curry puffs and nasi lemak bungkus - with one major difference: the bread and buns are toasted over a charcoal fire.

The runny kaya for the toast is made three times a week and the TV brand coffee powder is supplied by a local dealer. Jack LIm Jit Chew is from the third generation of his family to take charge of this remarkable canteen.

If you want to see harmonious Malaysian life in all its glory, this is the spot to head for - people of all races and walks of life sit side-by-side, trading gossip and stories over a cuppa or two.

Lim also provides food for thought on a long journey; he has a white board where he pens his “quote of the day” every other day.

Must-have Breads

Street Food
Favourites from The Star Street Food Guide


JOHOR BARU
BREADS AND CAKES

KEDAI ROTI & KEK HIAP JOO

13, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Baru, Open 8am-6pm. Closed on Sundays (Baking starts after 12.30pm)



IF you have only a few hours to spend in J.B., make this one of your stops. For folks caught in the fast lane, this old-world bakery is a window to another way of life.

The over 80-year-old bakery was started by the late patriarch Lim Joo Ban. The bread is still made the same way he did it when he arrived from Hainan Island in 1928, although the business is now run by his children and grandchildren.

A huge woodfire oven dominates the small shop, the walls blackened by years of smoke. Here, tradition is written in stone: the writing in soot is baked into the red brick of the kiln. Regulars know when the breads will be out of the oven and start queueing up 10 minutes before baking is done.



Many have been enjoying the breads and cakes here since they were children.

The bakery is famous for its banana cake. Soft and moist with the intoxicating perfume of bananas, the melt-in-your-mouth cake is one of the best around.

Also available are French loaves and sandwich bread. All breads and cakes are sold directly from their shop.

The products must be consumed within three days of purchase because no preservatives are used.


KANGAR
NASI KARI INDONESIA

EMBASSY COFFEE SHOP

53 Jln Jubli Perak, Kangar. Open 10.30am-2pm. Days off not fixed.



MOST locals are familiar with this stall, and they all have one piece of advice: go early!

There’s always a large crowd, and many come in to tapau.

Most of the home-cooked dishes on offer are spiced up with chillies. Try the pork cooked in a thick curry – it’s quite exceptional.

A must-eat is the salted fish with onions in a tamarind-based gravy – tangy, salty and slightly sour.

The duck – similar to the Nyonya dish, itek sioh – is another good eat. The meat comes off the bone quite easily and there is a nice flavour of coriander in the dish.

A slightly sweet prawn sambal is also good.


SUBANG JAYA
PAN MEE

RESTORAN LIAN HENG

22, Jln SS 19/6, Subang Jaya. Open 7.30am-3pm. Closed on Sundays & public holidays.



THE demand for Madam Lam’s pan mee is so great that she has resorted to issuing queue numbers! Get a number from the metal ring hung at the stall, put in your order and find a seat. Expect to wait at least 20 minutes.

The noodles are made from flour, water and eggs. Instead of passing the fresh dough through a machine, Madam Lam prefers to tear the dough into pieces by hand – handmade pan mee has a better bite than that made by machine.

The pan mee is cooked in a stock made by boiling dried ikan bilis. Vegetables (kau ki choi) and pork slices are added before the cooking is completed. Available dry or in soup, the noodles are topped with pre-cooked minced pork and crispy deep-fried ikan bilis.

Old Favourites

Street Food
Favourites from The Star Street


Alor Setar
NASI KANDAR



KEDAI MAKANAN & MINUMAN KIM BEE CHEW

8, Jalan Tunku Ibrahim. Open 6.30am-2.30pm. Days off not fixed.

The original kandar complete with aluminium pot – a museum-worthy artifact – positioned at the front of the shop tells you that they have been in business for a long time. Lukman Hakim carries on the nasi kandar business started by his father, who used to ply his trade on foot, with the kandar slung on a pole across his shoulders.

There are about 20 types of dishes available daily, with items such as daging masak kicap, ayam masak merah and squid sambal. The hati masak kicap (beef liver in dark soy sauce) is very tender, with a slightly sweet gravy. The spicy squid is slightly chewy and the ayam masak merah is a winner with its sweet, spicy gravy and succulent flesh.

The ghee rice served here is very fluffy and aromatic. It is topped with a medley of gravies and makes for a hearty meal.


SS22, Damansara Jaya
CLAYPOT CHICKEN RICE



RESTORAN BUSY CORNER

83, Jalan SS22/11, Damansara Jaya. Open 12-2pm, 5-9pm. Closed on Thursdays.

IT’S more commonly known as “the claypot chicken rice near KDU (Kolej Damansara Utama)”, but you will find more than that here. There is also black pepper chicken rice, Thai sauce chicken rice, spicy fish rice, prawn rice and fermented bean sauce chicken rice – all cooked in claypots. The normal claypot chicken rice is quite delicious but the other items provide nice alternatives. There are also vegetables (yau choy) and soups to go with your pot of rice. Expect to wait at least 15 minutes especially during peak hours such as lunchtime and weekends.


Johor Baru
CURRY LAKSA



WW LAKSA HOUSE

36-A, Jalan Kolam Air. Open 7.30am-3pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

MORE famously known as the “Water Works Laksa”, this local favourite has humble beginnings from a makeshift stall nearby. It’s run by a mother-and-daughter team.

Served with Singapore beehoon (a fatter type of rice vermicelli) the curry laksa has a nice home-cooked taste.

The soup is not too thick, so the coconut cream does not overwhelm.

While it can’t be described as spectacular, it is a very pleasant, easy-to-like laksa with fresh ingredients like fish balls, cockles, fried wantan skin and bean curd puffs. It is also available in clear soup (ch’ng thong).

Fish Head Beehoon Worth The Search

Food Trail
By SAM CHEONG


BEFORE I kick off this week’s find, I would like to apologise for a small error in my story on the Wah Cheong coffee shop in Section 17 Petaling Jaya.

In the story, I mentioned ‘condensed’ milk as a main ingredient in the gravy of the yee thau mai (fish-head beehoon). The correct item for this should be ‘evaporated milk’.


Unique: Fish head noodles with evaporated milk.

Soo Ewe Jin, one of my bosses, pointed this out. “Eh Sam ah! I follow your trail lah and when I read about the yee thau mai, you mentioned condensed milk, my wife and I had a good laugh,” he said.

All right, I hope that clarified things a little bit, and while we are on the subject of yee thau mai, Peter Hoe, my colleague had got back to me on the much talked about makan place in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur.

But before I proceed, I would like to give a shout out to blogger pegasus (http://pegasuskl.wordpress.com) who emailed me about the same makan place.

After checking out this blogger’s awesome site, I would say that the bual bual kosong blog is one of the most interesting food blogs I’ve ever come across.

Okay, back to Peter Hoe - my buddy came up to me and told me that he couldn’t handle the 15 seconds of fame and that he had received plenty of phone calls to get directions to the said place in Taman Desa.

“Aiyah Sam! My phone didn’t stop ringing lah. What have you done?”, he said. Well, Hoe had certainly felt the pressure and invited me to join him for a quick fix at the yee thau mai joint.

“Meet me at the lobby and we go for a fast one!,” he said with a slap on my shoulder. Hoe and I go back a long way since The Star was based at Section 13 in Petaling Jaya.

After hearing his stories on travel and adventure back in the early 90s, I jumped at the chance to grab a fast lunch with this living legend.

Our drive from Menara Star in Section 16 took about 15 minutes. We ended up at one corner in Taman Desa and to me, this is an entirely obscure landscape.


The search ends here: Woo Pin fish head noodles in Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur, deserves a repeat visit.

The place in question was Woo Pin fish head noodles. But if you are a first-timer here, you will never find the place because their name was not printed on a signboard.

Instead, the outlet is situated in a steamboat restaurant at a corner lot in the first row of shoplots at Jalan 2 109F. A surefire tell-tale sign here is the crowd. The shop opens from 7.20am to 2.30pm and that’s all they need to bring in the day’s earnings.

Well, believe it or not, we thought we got there early but by noon, the place was already crowded and people just kept coming.

“Ah, here, you can order the clear soup without evaporated milk. I like it even better with some fresh fish slices.

“If you want to get the most out of it, you can add the yee wat (fish paste) and yee peen (fish slice). I like my yee thau mai in its clear broth,” explained Hoe.

Well, for starters, a bowl of fish head beehoon costs RM6.50. I was quick on the draw when a Myanmar worker handed out the bill.

It was an honour for me to eat with sifu Hoe and indeed a pleasure to savour Taman Desa’s most electrifying yee thau mai.

So, how did this place fare? On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it at 6.5. Pricing wise, this makan place charges slightly higher than most of the stalls I had visited.

On taste, I would say that the gravy (mine came with evaporated milk) was not as creamy as I had anticipated, nevertheless, its smooth flavour made up for the shortcoming.

For ingredients, you can choose to have fresh fish head and slices (order before 11am) or the usual deep fried morsels.

As far as the portion was concerned, Woo Pin is generous enough to pack my bowl of noodles but, too bad the waiter got my order wrong. Well, I guess I’ll have to make a repeat visit to taste other variants of the yee thau mai.

While we were eating, Hoe pointed out that the outlet’s owner, a middle aged Chinese guy, looked rather harassed and was frowning all the time.

Maybe it was the pressure to get orders delivered on time. “Ha, lou sai, hou mah!” (Boss, how are you), Hoe gestured. All I saw, was a frown on the owner’s face. How strange.

His good looks aside, I would say that searching for this yee thau mai place is an adventure by itself. If you have a vehicle-mounted GPS receiver, Woo Pin fish head noodles is located at: Lat 03 05 49, Long 101 41 10.

Before I clock off, I would also like to thank reader Adrian Chong who emailed me and gave me the lowdown on the best yee thau mai in Kuala Lumpur and perhaps in the Klang Valley. Where is this place? Well, tune in to find out in the next: “Samo’s great yee thau mai discovery”.

Vegetarian Fare That Appeals

By YIP YOKE TENG

MOCK meat was created to make vegetarian cuisine appealing and acceptable to more people, especially those who find it difficult to do without meat. It was a good move both ethically and environmentally.

However, as mock meat is usually made of flour with dashes of colouring and flavouring, it does not find favour with the health-conscious. High consumption is certainly not recommended.


Palate teaser: The Golden Dry Curry Abalone Mushroom with Brinjal debunks the myth that vegetarian dishes are bland.

This concern led three partners, who were in the building material industry, to set up Vegipai. Al­­though the vegetarian fare served at the outlet contains no mock meat, it will appeal even to non-vegetarians with its careful selection and generous use of natural ingredients.

The proprietors also wish to promote vegetarian cuisine as an element of modern lifestyle, and to this end, they spent four months researching how this might be achieved.

Thus, the restaurant is designed to cater not just for the lunch and dinner crowd, but also for those who want to chat with friends, surf the Internet or even read a book over a cuppa in a comfortable atmosphere.

The concept starts with the decor. The spacious interior is coloured grey and white, with cushions in cream and pink on the bench and counter to lend a soft touch.

Timber flooring, decorative tree trunks and a flowering frangipani reflect the outlet’s environment-friendly principles.

The combination of colours and materials creates a cosy, creative and contemporary atmosphere.

“We are happy to learn that about 50% of our customers are non-vegetarians,” said Mak Tak Wah, who is one of the partners.

“We hope we can popularise vegetarian cuisine as a healthy alternative (to the normal diet) which will contribute to environmental conservation. It would be a blessing for us if we could do this,” he added.


Creamy and appetising: Whole Grain Mustard Penny has a pleasant tangy, creamy flavour that will leave a lasting impression.

The trio spent much time on finalising the menu, which offers local, Chinese and West­ern delicacies. Apart from brainstorming with two vegetarian chefs, they read extensively on the nutritional properties of various ingredients to create new healthy dishes.

“Seaweed, lemon grass and mushroom, for example, are nutritious and delicious ingredients but they have not been fully explored,” said Cansy Lam, another partner. “In fact, we learnt a lot of new things, too.”

She said more than 90% of the 60-plus dishes on the menu contained no mock meat, flavouring or colouring. Mock meat is used only as the binding agent when it is inevitable, such as wanton stuffing.

The steak and pate are made of soy or mushroom. The Mushroom Steak is a treat with its pleasantly springy texture and subtle natural sweetness, while the burgers are popular among children.

“The restaurant has no religious overtones and the menu has been well received by its customers, regardless of race and religion, Lam said.

The Longevity Pot is a treasure trove of mushrooms, including shiitake, superior, bear’s head, button and enoki, boiled with herbs. It tastes like Bak Kut Teh sans the meatiness.

The Whole Grain Mustard Penny, one of the newest additions, is a good choice for those who like a surprise. Whole grain mustard is a relatively alien ingredient on the local food scene, and it enhances the cabonara sauce significantly. The seeds impart a subtle tang when they burst in the mouth, while bits of celery add crunch to the creamy delight.

Those who prefer more robust flavours will find the likes of Golden Dry Curry Abalone Mush­room with Brinjal a delight.

Done kam heong style, this dish has a heady curry aroma that will tickle your taste buds, but even more impressive, the abalone mushroom has a taste and texture very similar to meat with a bit of fat – crunchy on the outside and tender inside.


Concentration of flavours: A hearty bowl of Nyonya Laksa prepared with generous use of natural ingredients.

According to Lam, this effect can only be achieved with precise control of heat and timing during the frying process.

Another recommended item for those with a preference for strong flavours is the Nyonya Laksa, with its generous use of lemon grass and torch ginger flower (bunga kantan), among others.

The restaurant does not neglect seasoned vegetarians, who can choose from a good range of dishes with clean and light flavours.

Health drinks and sweet soups are available to complement the array of food.

The restaurant will soon introduce its pastry selection to enhance its appeal as a lifestyle vegetarian cafe.

VEGEPAI, 37A, Jalan Desa Bakti, Taman Desa, Off Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-7982 8184). Business hours: 11am to 10pm, daily.

Tasty Roast Pork In Salak South Garden

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


WHAT made me go back to Salak South Garden? Well, one reason being the decades-old coffee shops and stalls offering good food.

The other was a special invitation from my makan kaki that I couldn’t refuse.


Two decades and still going strong: Tian Hong coffee shop has the best char siew in the entire neighbourhood.

The eating pal in question was Lawrence Leong who runs a business in the area and the man had been giving me plenty of feedback on the good eateries in Salak South Garden – particularly two coffee shops offering roast duck and char siew in Jalan Hang Tuah 2 and Jalan Tuanku 2.

For starters, I checked out ‘Chicky and Ducky’ roaster that offers ‘siew ngap thui fan’ (roasted duck thigh rice). The stall is located at the Tim Won coffee shop and is owned by a couple.

One of the guys known as Ah Kit said the roasted pork and duck were the speciality and recommended the duck thigh cooked using the family recipe : a special brown sauce.

At RM7.50 per plate, I would say that the taste and flavour of the roasted meat was acceptable. My buddy Leong said the best part of the duck was the neck.

”Wah! You serious ah?” I asked.

“Well, you see, roasted duck connoisseurs in Hong Kong would take it with its fat removed. So, it’s the skin that is crunchy and sweet tasting,” he explained.

For me, the fattest part of this particular bird is the neck and it’s the duck thigh or breast that are the choice morsels when it comes to savouring roasted duck.

”Eh, keep it light ah! We are going to check out another joint,” said Leong. I spoke to one of the stall owners at the coffee shop who mistook me for a civil servant.


Tasty offering: Tong San’s stir-fried prawn noodles.

So, in order not to blow my cover, I told the trader that I was a field researcher for the Inter-national Society for Siew Ngap Studies (ISSNS) and was at the eatery on a census-taking mission.

”Wah! Like that also can ah?” said the confused stall owner. I told him that I made up the ISSNS story and got a slap on my shoulder as a friendly gesture from the man.

From roast duck, the trail continued to Jalan Tuanku 2, which is about a five minutes’ walk from Tim Won coffee shop. Leong pointed out a double-storey shop lot with a crowd queuing outside its premises.

It was noon and people were already packing the eatery. Now, this felt as if I was transported into another world. I could see roast chicken, siew yuk and char siew hung on a rack with workers busy chopping away roast meat and scooping rice for their customers.

Here, we made our way to a small table at the rear section of the shop. I observed the interior, which reminded me of shop lots built in the early 70s.


A decent fare: Duck thigh rice at Tim Won coffee shop.

”Ah, Chinese coffee shops are not interested in ambience and decor lah. It’s the quality of their food that matters,” Leong elaborated.

The place was a real dump and the sour expression of the lady running the show said a lot about her PR skills but this didn’t deter customers from crowding the restaurant.

Service here was prompt as our char siew rice arrived minutes after we placed an order. And I must say that the Tian Hong coffee shop has the best roast pork in the entire neighbourhood.

Their quality could rival that of Yoke Woo Hin and Overseas restaurant. At RM8 a plate, the owners of this coffee shop meant serious business. Good food don’t come cheap and if it is cheap, doesn’t mean it would be good.

Our second pit stop in the Salak South Garden food marathon proved to be a satisfying experience.

I asked the lady owner about the coffee shop’s background and she told me that she has been working there since her mid-20s.

”Aiyah! Now ah, I am already 60 years old lah. So, you can imagine how long we have been here,” she said with a laughter.

Well, just when I thought I was all ready to pack up and head back to the office, my eating pal told me it was not end of the journey yet.

As a matter of fact, Leong was just getting warmed up. We took a break at Nelson’s char koay teow stall where we were offered free top-up for our sugar cane juice.

There, Leong pointed out that there were several more good food outlets, but since the offering was similar in nature, he picked the best of the lot.

After a good 20-minute break, we proceeded to Tong San restaurant, a family owned food business that has been in the game for nearly three decades.


Inviting: At RM8 per plate, Tian Hong’s char siew rice mean serious business for roast pork lovers.

Here, the house dishes are fried prawn noodles and their fried rice. At RM48 a plate for the prawn noodles, the shop is perpetually packed during lunch hour.

To get a taste of at least six dishes, Leong called for reinforcement. His friends arrived 30 minutes later to fill the dining table.

And as previously indicated, we had ‘sang har meen’ (prawn noodles) and other noodle dishes.

The orders arrived promptly and I went on to savour the different variety of noodles.

For me, the prawn noodles fell short of my expectation. But the saving grace was Tong San’s fried rice. Now, this came as a big surprise because it was tasty and laden with choice ingredients like fish cake, fried anchovies and prawns.

The average price for a dish here is from RM5 to RM50. So, you have to make your choices carefully.

That said, my eating marathon ended with some yow char kuai (Chinese crullers) from Leong’s favourite stall at Jalan Hang Tuah.

Since there’s hardly any public transport to this part of Kuala Lumpur, I would suggest car-pooling.

To get there, you can use the New Pantai Expressway or the Besraya Highway.

Now, if you have a cell phone that is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) navigator, key in the following coordinates: Tian Hong coffee shop - N 03 05” 025’, E 101 41” 773’ and Tong San restaurant - N 03 05’ 017”, E 101 41” 764’.

You can also use the GPS coordinates with Google Earth to find a Geographic Information System interfaced map of the locations provided.

So, have a good makan and happy hunting!

Hawker Food To Make My Day

FOOD TRAIL WITH SAM CHEONG

When it comes to good and cheap food, Salak South Garden is a place that is begging to be discovered. I found out about this place from my friend Lawrence Leong, who owns a small business there.


Hard at work: Nelson at the wok.

But prior to my visit, the namesake was a place that gave me the impression that it was far and away. This stigma had remained in my head since my secondary school days when a schoolmate had told me that he lived in Salak South.

Each time he mentioned the place, my reaction was: “Wah! So far ah?” That was back in the 80s when the road transportation link was not as good as it is today.

Now, this idyllic residential area is like a worn-out human heart – full of inner and outer ring roads bypassing its surroundings.

To get there alone, you will need good navigational skills. I'll get to that part later. So, what is good here? Well, there are many thing; let me start with two makan places in a specific area within this suburban setting.


Cheap and good: Nelson's 'masterpiece' char koay teow is priced at RM3.50 per plate.

Okay, first – there is Fatty Mok's Hakka Yong Tau Foo shop off Jalan Hang Tuah 1. According to my friend Leong, this eatery is well known for its curry laksa, yong tau foo (stuffed tofu and vegetables) and chicken soup noodles.

So, with that in mind, I made the necessary arrangement to catch up with my makan-kaki (food buddy) at his office.

But, I was not so lucky because there was a production hiccup in his daily schedule. “Sam ah! Eh, you carry on lah, mention my name to the shop and they'll know what to do. I cannot join you lah, sorry ah!” he apologised.

With or without Leong, I was determined to check out Fatty Mok's curry laksa, so when I got there after parking my car at the road kerb, I wasted no time in telling a Myanmar worker there what I wanted.

Service was prompt and as my bowl of noodles was delivered, I went snapping away with my pocket camera. While I was at it, the diners around me watched my actions closely.

I caught wind of two guys behind me having a conversation on a lone diner having his laksa and snapping away with a camera.


Good laksa dish: Fatty Mok's curry laksa.

“Eh, mutt yeh yan ah?” (in Cantonese: who is this guy?) one of the patrons asked. It felt intrusive, but a man has to do what he has to do when it comes to getting the job done.

Now, Fatty Mok's curry laksa, in my humble opinion, fulfilled my criteria for a good laksa dish. Why? The gravy is creamy and tasty, there are enough cockles for you to lose count, plenty of taugeh (bean sprouts), fresh tau foo pok (fried bean curd) and – best of all – enough char chee phei (deep-fried pig's skin).

A small bowl costs about RM4 and my complete meal cost only RM5 with a chilled glass of soya bean milk thrown in. Besides curried noodles, the shop is also known for its ching thong meen (soup noodles).

I would recommend this if you want something less spicy and well, having tasted it in an earlier session, I would say that the soup noodles are as good as the laksa offered by the shop.

Moving on, there is another stall located nearby which came highly recommended by Leong. And, his instruction was simple: “Go across fei loh Mok's and look out for the chap fan stall.”

He was referring to Nelson's Char Koay Teow and to the untrained eye, it is not easy to locate this stall. Which was why I brought my hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to lock-in the coordinates of the fried noodles stall.

Anyway, I made my way to the stall and the first thing I noticed was a hidden signboard that read: “Nelson's Char Koay Teow, open 8am–4pm, closed on Sundays.”

My immediate reaction was: “Yat teep kuai teow meen, tor-tor ngar choy” (a plate of koay teow and mee with plenty of bean sprouts).

Dumbfounded, the stall owner paused for a moment and then he went to work right away when the order was made. I watched as Nelson, the stall's operator, started stirring and clanging away at his wok.

It took less than five minutes for the noodles to be served on a plate lined with a piece of banana leaf. And, what I noticed was the hallmark of good fried noodles.

My father, who used to run a Hokkien mee stall at Lorong Bunus, off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, had taught me the finer points of identifying a well-done dish.

He said the noodles should not be too flat; it must have body and flavour and it should not be soggy or over-fried. What I saw at Nelson's was a masterpiece.

The char koay teow was tasty and rich in flavour. There was a generous serving of cockles to go with it and to nail it in the head - plenty of chee yau char (pork rind) was added.

And, at a price of RM3.50, it was unbeatable. The extra plate of noodles on top of my curry laksa at Fatty Mok's made my day. Soon, I would join my colleague Stuart Michael in his Beginner's column as a prime candidate for weight loss and management. By the way, I congratulate Michael for raising funds to support a charity home.

Okay, back to Salak South Garden. To get there, take a drive on the New Pantai Expressway, take the right exit to Jalan Kuchai Lama and when you approach the Ajinomoto junction, turn left and head straight for about 800 metres.

Once you get to a traffic light junction, turn left and take the left exit towards a hill slope and you are there. For those who navigate with their automobile GPS receivers, key in the following coordinates: Longtitude: N 03 05” 062', Latitude E 101 41” 687' and your navigator will do the rest to get you there. Good luck and happy hunting!

Tasty Fare For Late Breakfast And Lunch

FOOD TRAIL:BY SAM CHEONG

JALAN Maharajalela, which was formerly known as Birch Road, is the gateway to the Southern sector of Kuala Lumpur and is well known for its hawker fare, especially among night birds.

Despite being overshadowed by the city's development, many of the makan places that were found along this busy road many years ago are still intact.


Tasty: At 80 sen a piece, this is the standard fare at Jalan Maharajalela's yong tau foo stall.

This is also one of the few places at the fringe of the city centre where you can find double–storey colonial homes that were built with a chimney in the kitchen.

If you love post-war architecture, this is one place where you can go on a photographic safari. Here, you will find an architectural potpourri from at least five different eras.

During “soccer season” in the 70s and 80s, many Chinese fans would make a detour for supper at a Fukeen chow (Hokkien stir–fried noodles) stall and a coffee shop famous for its curry laksa.

These makan places do exist, but I want to concentrate on what you can find during daytime for breakfast – well, late breakfast – and lunch.

First, there is a yong tau foo (stuffed vegetables) stall managed by an elderly couple, located next to the Ho Wah Genting building off Jalan Maharajalela.


No-frills dining: A couple having their meal at the yong tau foo stall at Jalan Maharajalela.

This eatery has been around for at least three decades and is a popular haunt among office workers and yong tau foo lovers.

What sets it apart is the soup and dry gravy noodles that are served here to complement the stuffed vegetables. And, prices are pretty standard at 80 sen per piece.

So, a simple helping would set you back by RM4.50 (that is roughly five pieces of vegetables and a bowl of noodles) and RM1.20 for a glass of iced barley.

I was introduced to this stall by a friend who frequented a few fishing tackle stores around here. Apart from the yong tau foo stall, there is also a chicken rice and chap fan (Chinese economy rice) shop here that is sandwiched between two large trees.

Business is brisk here during lunch hour and the highly recommended offering here is the chicken rice. The best time to savour your lunch here is from 11am and if you are early, the best seats are on the house.

Moving on, there are some noteworthy makan places at Jalan Choo Cheng Kay, which runs parallel to Jalan Maharajalela.

But, before I get down to the juicy details, here are some interesting notes which I had gathered through the years. My buddy C.M. Khor, who was with a real estate company in the 80s, told me that the Choo Cheng Kay apartments had the largest balcony for high–rise living quarters of its class.

This was, of course, undisputed throughout the era. And, well, the apartment itself has a dark past. At its peak, the area was well known among the hamsap-lou (randy men) as a red light district.

Many of the apartments here were Kuala Lumpur's top brothels. But that is a thing of the past as frequent crackdowns by the authorities have driven vice activities away from this neighbourhood.


Wholesome: Braised pork ribs (front), and chicken and roast pork.

Okay, hamsap matters aside, let's get back on track with food. I was told by my friend Lee Hon Yew that the best mun phai kuat fan (braised pork ribs rice) could be found here.

And, it did not take me long to discover Wing Wong noodle shop, which is located in the middle row of a four–storey block of flats in Jalan Choo Cheng Kay.

It occupies the car porch area of two lots and there is a colourful signboard with an arrow pointing to the shop. So, what is good at this place?

For starters, the curry laksa and ching thong meen (soup noodles) came highly recommended. But the gist of it – is the braised pork ribs rice.

At RM5.50 a plate, I cannot complain. The serving is generous and it tastes pretty decent. The ribs are crunchy outside and soft in the centre.

And, since it is a stand–alone dish, you can also order Wing Wong's wat-kai (boiled chicken) as a side dish. This will set you back by RM4.50. I would not recommend the siew yuk (roast pork) because it was tough and quite salty.

Word has it that the noodles here are on par with the offering at the night coffee shop at Jalan Maharajalela, but that will have to be my late breakfast on a follow-up visit.

Other than Wing Wong, you can also check out a wantan mee stall located in a lane off Jalan Choo Cheng Kay, which is passable.

To get to Jalan Maharajalela, it is best that you take the monorail from Brickfields and get off at the Maharajalela station. The yong tau foo stall is roughly a five-minute walk, while Wing Wong is 10 minutes away from this location.