A Quacking Bowl Of Duck Thigh Noodles

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


A stall in Puchong wins hands down for the best Ngap Thui Meen

NGAP THUI MEEN or duck thigh noodles is a dish that you won’t find everywhere especially in the Klang Valley.

This noodle dish is made famous by the Pun Chun restaurant in Bidor, Perak. Now, I must say that I am a huge fan of the ngap thui meen and my quest for a perfect bowl had taken me to many places around the country.


The best: The duck thigh noodles stall at Ramai coffee shop in Puchong.

Well, many folks I come across hated duck. Why? It is an acquired taste. Some say it’s gamey while others simply do not know how to appreciate duck.

So, if you are still reading, that means you are interested. All right - for starters, this particular noodles comes in two variants. You can either have the kwon-lou (dry) or chee suay (soup).

In the soupy version, you will find a piece of double-boiled roasted duck thigh (at this point, the meat is tender and less gamey in taste) with Chinese herbs.

The soup base with its meat is double boiled for at least six hours before it is mixed with egg noodles. So, you are actually tasting the essence of the duck.

But don’t be confused with the use of herbs because as far as I know, there is little medicinal value in this soupy noodle dish. What I like, is the clear and smooth taste of the herbal soup and since the duck thigh is so tender, even toothless senior citizens can enjoy it.


Tasty duck: Pun Chun coffee shop’s ngap thui meen.

And just when I thought the Bidor duck thigh noodles are second to none, one contender from Puchong stands out.

My perception changed when I tasted what Puchong had to offer. This, in my humble opinion, is one of the best ngap thui meen around.

Best of all, the stall is located in a corner coffee shop called Ramai food centre near Tesco, which is about a 10-minute drive away from where I live.

I discovered the coffee shop by chance when I took my wife to a clinic there. The moment I saw the stall, my immediate reaction was to order a bowl.

And in no time, the lady owner of this stall came with a steaming hot bowl of ngap thui meen. Compared to the Bidor version, the soup base of my noodles was crystal clear.

Even the noodles were different. Instead of giving preserved green chillies as a dip for the noodles, this stall offered sliced chilli api.

Now, that gave it the required ‘ooomph!’ that got me sweating buckets.

Although the portion seemed small, the tasty and tender duck meat and excellent herbal broth made up for it.

I was also surprised to find out that both coffee shops charged the same amount. A bowl of ngap thui meen costs RM6.30. But if you want to compare the taste, then you will have to take a drive up north to find out whether Pun Chun can live up to your expectations or not.

The Ramai coffee shop in Puchong caters mainly to the local crowd while Pun Chun, once a thriving eatery from the old KL - Ipoh trunk road era is now experiencing a revival. Many tourists from out of town frequent this coffee shop in the heart of Bidor that also caters to wedding functions.

The Puchong coffee shop caters more to people working in the area and if you are around the Tesco hypermart, you might want to give this place a try.

Speaking of Pun Chun, a colleague of mine told me that the restaurant has a branch in Kota Kemuning near Klang.

You can find out more by accessing its blog at: www.punchun.blogspot.com. The Lat, Long coordinates for Pun Chun in Bidor, Perak, is Lat 04 06 693, Long 101 17 255 and the coordinates for Ramai coffee shop is Lat 03 01 995, Long 101 36 897.

Please note that the GPS coordinates works only with handheld and in-vehicle units. Google mapping software is not compatible with the position given, so, good luck and happy eating!

Cheap And Good Vegetarian Fare

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


READER Phang Hui Leng wanted to know where she can find vegetarian chap-fan (economy rice) at dirt cheap prices. I received her e-mail recently and got cracking. As far as I know, there is one place in the shopping district of Kuala Lumpur that fits the bill.

It's located in a place called Kam Hor (golden river) in Jalan Sultan Ismail and yes, you guessed it right, it's Sungai Wang Plaza.

There, you can find a rooftop hawker centre that had been around for nearly 30 years.


Affordable: Le Tian vegetarian stall at Sungai Wang Plaza's rooftop hawker centre.

Today, it's still one of the hottest places in the city centre for cheap food.

Having worked in this area for three years, I found a vegetarian chap-fan stall called ‘Le Tian' at the far end corner near the shopping mall's lobby.

The food here is good and after a series of return visits, I still find it affordable and tasty. I also frequented this place occassionaly on Fridays taking advantage of the long lunch breaks.

The Sungai Wang rooftop hawker centre was also the place where I rekindled ties with my ex-schoolmate CK Ching. Ching, a regular at the stall said he was satisfied with the choice of dishes and usually satiated by a small serving of rice, tofu and vegetables.


Tasty: The vegetarian chap-fan from Le Tian costs RM5.50 a plate.

What suprised me at this stall was the wide range of vegetarian dishes. From stir-fried leafy vegetables to processed soya bean meals, there's enough variety to satisfy even the most fussy vegetarians.

And at prices below RM5 per plate (rice and a choice of two dishes), you could not complain. Highly recommended is the vegetable curry and fried Chinese cabbage with glass noodles.

Also on top of my list, is the vegetarian char siew (mock sugar-glaced roasted pork) and siew ngor (mock roast goose).

Since this is a self-service outlet, you just take what you want to eat and proceed to the counter and pay. Usually, my tab would come up to RM5.50 inclusive of a glass of Chinese tea.

I found this to be consistent throughout my visit to the stall. The stall opens for breakfast and is usually packed during lunch hour.

Just a block away from Sungai Wang Plaza, there's another vegetarian makan place.


Tasty: The vegetarian chap-fan from Le Tian costs RM5.50 a plate.

But this one is rather upscale, so, if you expect some good food, it can be found here.

My buddy Ching showed the way to the lower ground level of Low Yat Plaza. The eatery is called ‘Vegegood Restaurant' that serves a decent selection of local fare prepared a'la vegetarian. The person who manned the counter recommended their "Hainanese Chicken Rice" at RM5.50.

Since this is an upscale makan place, the average pricing for a plate of rice and dishes starts from RM5 and above. My buddy paid RM14 for two persons.

Now, compared with the rooftop in Sungai Wang Plaza, the Vegegood restaurant is a place where you can hangout and chit chat because it is a cozy environment.

To get to Sungai Wang Plaza, the fastest and most convenient way is to hop onto a KL-Monorail service to the Bukit Bintang station.

Once there, you could access the rooftop hawker centre on its fourth floor via a link bridge and elevator.

I believe address is not necessary since Sungai Wang Plaza is a well-known landmark in KL. For the Vegegood restaurant, it is located at Lot LG 13-15 in Plaza Low Yat.

To get there, take the KL-Monorail to the Imbi station.

Famished For Fishballs

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


DO you know that there is a makan place that specialises in fishball noodles in USJ 9, Subang Jaya?

I came to find out about this some time back. And, occasionally, my wife and I would dine at the outlet. Called Ah Koong, this place is located just a few rows away from the neighbourhood nasi kandar restaurant.


Enticing: Fishballs, fish cake and seaweed in a soupy broth.

I would say that the fookchow yuen (Fookchow fishballs with meat filling) is one of the star attractions here.

A couple of these will set in your stomach like cement and even seasoned fishball lovers are rarely known to order more than a pair of the delicacies at a time.

With fishballs so good, the price is at a premium but I think it’s well worth it.

What’s interesting about this eatery is that you can actually pick what you want to go with your bowl of noodles The standard fare for a single person at Ah Koong’s costs about RM6.


Fried delight: The fish cake is a perfect accompaniment to a bowl of noodles.

For those who would like some variety, there is a vast selection of Teo Chew dishes from to choose. One of my favourites is the Teo Chew fish roll.

Basically, its a slice of fish cake with a piece of lobak (turnip), celery and red chilli rolled together. I understand that a piece of this delicacy costs about 80sen or more.

For me, I have the appetite of a dinosaur. So, I will fill up my bowl with a selection of fishballs, fishcake and yong tau foo, yong choy (stuffed beancurd and vegetables) and foo chuk (beancurd sheets).


Tasty find: Ah Koong’s noodle shop on USJ 9, Subang Jaya.

To add more zing to the noodles, you can also add fresh hor chien or oysters, which are an essential part of the Teo Chew style of preparing soup noodles.

With the whole works thrown in, a bowl of noodles can easily come up to RM12 a bowl, a bit pricey but considering the quality and variety, still affordable.

In fact, it’s a small price to pay if a horror story I once heard turns out to be true. Apparently, there was a patron who was charged RM80 for a bowl of fishball noodles with the works thrown in.

The patron had ordered a bowl of fishball noodles with everything thrown in. So, the noodle seller added in a piece of abalone, a few pieces of canned razor clams and some oysters.


Raw ingredient: Tasty find: Ah Koong’s noodle shop on USJ 9, Subang Jaya. A quick look at the fish cake before it is cooked.

Little did the customer know that such exotic add-ons were costly right from the get-go. For me, the best way to savour Ah Koong’s fishball noodles is to order a bowl of kwon lou meen (dry gravy).

Highly recommended is the spinach noodles (green in colour) and what made my experience complete is the fact that chee yau char (pork crackling) is added as a garnish.

As far as taste is concerned, Ah Koong lives up to my expectations. And for the extras like a clean dining area and air conditioning, you cannot ask for more.

For the soup lover, you can expect this to be a hearty meal. The dish is prepared with minced pork, seaweed and preserved vegetables.

And the fookchow yuen makes the soup noodles a complete meal. For those who wanted to tah pau (takeaway), the fookchow fishballs are also available as a frozen item.

This means, you can have your own instant noodles with an added oomph!. Internet savvy readers can check out www.ahkoong.com for more details such as their branches and full address including phone numbers.

Stewed Brisket Dish A Surprising Find In The Heart Of Subang Jaya

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


WHO has the best ngou lam fun (stewed beef brisket noodles) around Subang Jaya?

This question was posed to me by Jake Lam, a reader from USJ 20. Lam said he had yet to locate a stall around the neighbourhood that can satisfy his needs.


Hard at work: Siew Lan cher whipping up a bowl of stewed beef brisket.

Surprisingly enough, I have an answer. There is a stall in Good Year Court 2 in USJ 6 that lives up to the expectations.

I came to know of this place by chance a year ago. The place in question is Q-up coffee shop which is managed by Alex Ang, a friend of mine.

Known as Lou Kor (old brother), Ang has been in the coffee shop business for nearly a decade after retiring from civil service.

At his place, I found an elderly lady and her daughter in-law running the show. She sells wan tan mee and has a loyal following from people around the neighbourhood.


Brisk business: The lunch crowd at Q-up cafe.

Called Siew Lan cher (sister Siew Lan), the lady can dish out a hearty ngau lam fun. Now, before I go any further, there are two version of the dish

First, there’s the beef noodles prepared Hainanese style. I am talking about the Cantonese style where beef brisket is stewed with ginger and spices such as the star anise, clove and cinnamon.

Originally from Karak, Pahang, Siew Lan began to dabble in the noodle business with her family when she was young.


Tasty treat: The noodles also come with dry gravy.

She now runs a stall at Ang’s coffee shop with her son and daughter in-law. Now, getting to the ngau lam fun, I must say that the noodles she had prepared are similar to what I had a long time ago from a roadside stall near the Air Panas traffic junction in Setapak.

The beef brisket is stewed with spices and soya sauce until its soft. You can have it with soup or dried gravy.

A plate of ngau lum fun at Siew Lan’s stall costs RM5.50. I found the portions rather generous with plenty of beef to go around.

And, like I said earlier, this is one of the best old school stewed beef brisket around. I tried the lady’s beef noodles on two occasions.

Once, I had the kwon lou (dry gravy) ngau lam fun. I found it tasty and with a dash of chilli sauce, the brisket went down smooth.


Stewed beef brisket in soup

Complemented by a cold glass of home brewed kuk fah (chrysantenum tea), my makan experience there was complete.

As for the soupy variant, Siew Lan cher charged me RM6 a bowl. This, of course, has some wantan dumplings and char siew thrown in.

Speaking of rarity, there aren’t many places around that serve up a good plate of ngau lam fun. Of course, if I asked around and do some research on the Internet, the answers may pop up in food blogs and websites specialising in local foodstuff.

Q-up coffee shop is located in USJ 6, the landmark here is the Summit USJ shopping mall. Just make your way to Persiaran Tujuan, the Good Year Court 2 is located opposite a Shell petrol station.

Sorry, no GPS coordinates here and, if you got lost, the cops at the USJ 8 police station will be glad to point you in the right direction.

> UPDATE: Siew Lan’s wantan mee stall has moved from Q-Up to a larger coffee shop at Court 6. To locate it, keep an eye out for a banner written in Chinese.

Old Favourites At Coffee Shop

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


THERE are plenty of good makan places in Jalan Imbi and let me start with a corner coffee shop located at the intersection of Jalan Walter Grenier and Jalan Imbi.

Called Win Heng Seng coffee shop, this landmark makan place has been around for decades.

But before I continue any further, let me tell you that this particular neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur’s city centre was once plagued by crime.

The backlane where this particular coffee shop stands, was the scene of a fatal shootout between the cops and some robbers back in the mid-90s.


A well-known landmark: The corner coffee shop in Jalan Imbi.

And not long ago, a prominent businessman was shot and killed at a popular restaurant located two doors away.

So, if you are a fan of gangster movies that romanticised thugs and tough guys, Jalan Imbi is one of those places where you could still find some shady characters.

The neighbourhood’s violent past aside, Win Seng Heng coffee shop is well-known for three things. First, for its chee cheong fun stall on the left side of the shop’s entrance that’s said to be one of the best.

Then, the yuk-yeen fun (meatball noodles) is said to be one of the finest around and lastly, there is a Chinese confectionery shop that specialises in mini egg tarts.

One of my acquaintances who became a full-time ‘foodie’, Johnny ‘The Mouth’ (he never stops talking) Cheong concurred that the stall serves the best chee cheong fun.

Cheong added that the coffee shop had been refurbished with a new paint job since Jalan Imbi is within the proximity of the Bukit Bintang area.

“Eh Sam ah! When I was a rookie management staff at a bank in this neighbourhood ah, the Win Seng Heng coffee shop is my regular place lah. I eat there every morning.”


Egg-licious: These mini egg tarts are tasty!

Since relocating to Rawang, Cheong said he regularly makes a trip to the outlet on alternate weekends with his wife.

“Ah, this is also the place I met Rose, my wife lah. We use to share a plate of chee cheong fun lah.” Taking the cue from Cheong the romantic, I took Michelle, my wife to this coffee shop after making her walk nearly 1.2km around the Bukit Bintang area.

We arrived there on a late Saturday morning to savour the good hawker food here and lucky for us, there was a empty table in this packed eatery.

I ordered a bowl of yuk-yeen fun while Michelle went for the chee-yuk fun (pork noodles). Regretfully, I did not order the chee cheong fun as my bowl of noodles became the main order of the day.

Right at the far end of the coffee shop, I could see the stall owner of the meatball noodle working at a break neck pace - filling his orders as his Myanmar workers moved quickly to serve the waiting customers.

Back in the 80s, I patronised this coffee shop a couple of times and found that none of the old hands are working there anymore.

Chinese stall hands had been replaced by Cantonese-speaking Myanmar workers who are efficient and skillful in their trade.

Here, a bowl of meatball noodles costs RM5 per serving. I asked for a small bowl and my meal came complete with six pieces of meatballs including a few slices of siew cheong (roasted stuffed pork intestine) and yuk sway (minced pork).


Tasty: Win Seng Heng’s meatball noodles.

On a scale from 1 to 10 on my ‘Samoscale’, I’d say Win Seng Heng’s yuk yeen fun would come in at 7. Basically, I used my favourite stall in Lucky Garden, Bangsar as the benchmark.

Michelle on the other hand, wasn’t that lucky because her bowl of mee suah was lousy and expensive. At RM6 a bowl, all I can see was soup and a few strands of noodles.

So, lunch for two person including drinks was at RM13.80. I can’t complain because around Jalan Imbi, this is still one of the cheapest makan places around.

After our meals, Michelle went to the confectionary stall to buy two pieces of mini egg-tarts for RM1.20. Now, the best kept secret in this coffee shop - is the lady that sells siew pau (baked pork buns) and tann-tart (egg tarts).

By far, the tastiest confectionary that I’ve come across, we rounded up a dozen tarts before making our way out of the coffee shop.

Apart from the meatball noodles, chee cheong fun and egg tart, there’s also a couple who sold roasted pork and chicken rice.

They come highly recommended and to make up for the missed chee cheong fun session, I am planning to make a return trip to the neighbourhood because there is a famous stir-fried beef noodle shop around here.

Win Seng Heng coffee shop is just a 10-minute walk from the Bukit Bintang and Imbi monorail station and is open for breakfast and lunch daily.

Piping Hot Bowl Of Noodles

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


OF ALL the Chinese noodle dishes, the yee thau mai (fish-head beehoon) is one of the most extraordinary.

It stands out because of its ingredients — salted vegetables, deep fried fish head, tomatoes and condensed milk.

I was first introduced to the yee thau mai by one of my ex-bosses Albert Lee (I used to work in a production house in SS19, Subang Jaya), who took me to a stall in Taman OUG, Old Klang Road.


Prompt service: Wah Cheong coffee shop is a popular eating place.

There, he treated me to a bowl of noodles at a corner coffeeshop and I was told that this was the best yee thau mai around the neighbourhood.

That was of course was nearly two decades ago.

Today, the fish head beehoon is a thriving food business. Even K.Y. Lau, my father in-law told me of some outlets specialising in the dish in Jalan Kuchai Lama.

I have yet to verify his findings and recently, Majorie Chiew, a colleague of mine tipped me off about a stall serving this particular dish in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

“Eh Sam ah! Have you tried this place? I had a bowl of fish head noodles there and the portions are generous. You should check it out,” said Chiew.


Generous portion: Wah Cheong coffee shop’s yee thau mai.

So, on one Sunday afternoon, I went to the place in question and ordered a bowl of noodles. It’s not hard to find it because the stall is located at a corner coffeeshop called Wah Cheong.

Now, what I saw at the entrance of this makan place was a bit of a concern to me. Foreign workers hired by the stall owners were seen washing eating utensils, bowls and plates on top of a drain cover.

This is course, is the biggest letdown. Reservations aside, I proceeded with the order and waited patiently for my yee thau mai to be served.

While there, I could see a steady stream of people savouring their food during the lunch break. The variety of food worth mentioninig here are the yuk yeen fun (meatball noodles), chicken rice, and hakka noodles.

Chiew, who is a fellow food critic in The Star also mentioned about the yong tau foo, which is priced at 90sen a piece.

This, she added, is the cheapest stall around Petaling Jaya. Okay, back to the yee thau mai, I ordered a small bowl of noodles and delivery was prompt. In about 10 minutes, I was served with a piping hot bowl of noodles.

Now, in order not to attract too much attention, I took out my Nokia N-82 cellphone and started snapping some close-up shots with its built-in camera.

Now, on a scale from 1 -10, I would rate Wah Cheong’s yee thau mai a 6.

I found the fare to be pretty decent. Compared with the same dishes I had in Old Klang Road and Subang Jaya, this yee thau mai lacked a few things: coriander, spring onion leaves and soft tofu.

But then, there are different styles in serving the fish-head beehoon.

And at RM5 a treat, I’d say that the portion was generous.

Most fish head noodle stalls use freshwater fish like the Chinese carp and Giant snakehead as its main ingredients.

If you hate the “earthy” taste of freshwater fish, then this may be an acquired taste. All you need to do, is to dab it with some fiery cili api and soya sauce.

After leaving Wah Cheong’s coffeeshop for my office, I bumped into my colleague Peter Hoe, who is an old friend and was an intrepid traveller in his younger days.

Hoe, who was having lunch in a coffeeshop opposite Wah Cheong, actually saw me taking photos with my cellphone’s camera.

I told him my purpose and his reaction was: “Haiyaaa! If you love fish head noodles, I take you to Taman Desa lah bradder! The quality is second to none and nobody has disputed it.”

So, I took note of that because my next food trail would be with Hoe on the hunt for the best yee thau mai in the Klang Valley.

Now, to get to Wah Cheong coffeeshop, the best way is to car pool because parking is scarce. To locate this coffeeshop, head to Jalan 17/29. Lat, Long coordinates for this makan place are: 3°7’44”N 101°38’3”E.

So, have a great time finding this place and happy eating!

Hunt For Asam Laksa Leads To An Impressive Find At USJ 10 Coffee Shop

FOOD TRAIL
By SAM CHEONG


ASAM laksa is a noodle dish that you might love or hate. Why? It’s different from any other spicy and savoury food that you have ever tasted. Originating from the North, the asam laksa found its way to the Klang Valley through urban migration.

My fondest memory of this particular noodle dish was when I was a kid growing up near the Chow Kit wet market. My family had a small business there and every evening, a man on a tricycle that he had modified into a mobile kitchen would go on his rounds.

Now, what made his selling technique unique was the loud ding! he made with his porcelain spoon and bowl.


A good deal: The asam laksa stall in Nanking coffee shop.

Around 5pm, the man will go on his rounds calling: laksa! laksa! ding! ding! ding! and in a matter of minutes, his tricycle would be swamped by a steady queue of hungry noodle lovers.

The moment our friendly neighbourhood laksa-man uncovers his pot of hot asam laksa gravy, the lovely aroma would permeate the air.

Well, that was some 30 years ago when a small bowl of asam laksa cost RM1.

What made the experience memorable, was the gravy, its ingredients and the garnishing.

A good bowl of asam laksa comes with a rich gravy consisting of finely minced ikan kembung (Indian mackerel), a blend of spices and tamarind juice.

You can have either beehoon or the lai fun (coarse vermecelli) and the noodles are usually garnished with grated cucumber, fresh red onions, pineapple, chopped bunga kantan (wild ginger), red chillies and mint leaves.

As the asam laksa is an acquired taste, some folk may find it too sour and tangy. Having travelled vastly around the country, I’d say that the best asam laksa is found in Penang.


An acquired taste: Nanking coffee shop’s asam laksa.

However, if you live in the Klang Valley, there are still places that offer this noodle dish.

The trick is to know where to find it. I wouldn’t recommend having a bowl of laksa in posh outlets because it’s going to cost you at least RM15 a bowl.

I set out on a quest to locate the best asam laksa and I focused on a few coffee shops in the Klang Valley.

First on my list, was a coffee shop recommended by my friend T.S. Tong who hails from Sungai Petani.

Tong, a long-time resident of Subang Jaya, gave directions to Nanking coffee shop in USJ10/1D.

In short, this place is called Tai Pan. Based on his description of the area, it was not difficult to locate the outlet. As a matter of fact, I had eaten there before with my wife.

Now, to overcome the USJ10’s parking nightmare and the hungry lunch crowd, I suggest that you park as far away as possible from this place. Take a walk because the excercise could help to build an appetite.

Nanking coffee shop is situated in a corner lot. I found the asam laksa stall as described by Tong and ordered a small bowl from a middle aged man who manages the place.

Before I go any further, let me warn you that the hygiene level in this particular makan place is not at the highest. As a matter of fact, it was rather filthy.

But with my mission at hand, I went ahead with my order and when a Myanmar worker delivered my hot bowl of assam laksa, I was nothing but impressed.

Everything that I’d expected was served, but with one minor exception - I found Chinese lettuce as part of the garnishing. Strange, but nevertheless, it added the ‘green and fresh’ zing to it.

Now, the treat that made my day was a big spoonful of har kou (prawn paste). Some guys hate this and swear that it’s bad for their virility. But it didn’t bother me because prawn paste actually sweetens the sour and tangy gravy.

When I was a kid, I was told by a laksa Utara stall owner that he would go broke if I go on asking for more helping of the petis or prawn paste.

Back to the Nanking story - well, at RM4 a bowl, I’d say that the asam laksa is as good as Tong had described it. This means, I owe him a jug of beer for doubting his recommendations.

Now, before I conclude this food trail, let me say that it’s not difficult at all to locate Nanking coffee shop in USJ 10 and whenever in doubt, do a ‘Google Search’. Sorry, no maps, telephone numbers and address, so, happy hunting!

Mee Bandung Revisited

Food Trail
By SAM CHEONG


FIRST of all, I would like to thank all the readers out there for the helpful suggestions sent in via email.

There are plenty of good makan places that I would like to check out and, recently, Pak Hassan, an old fishing buddy of mine who has relocated to Subang Jaya from Puchong alerted me about a Mee Bandung Muar stall in USJ 11.


Kedai Kopi 333’s local coffee and starters: Half boiled eggs and kaya toast.

“Eh Sam, you should check out this stall-lah. In my area, there are not many food operators – especially the Malays – who offer a simple noodle dish like that.

“I find that the price is also very reasonable. But, there is a catch, you can only get to try the Mee Bandung after sunset,” he said.

I took the cue from Pak Hassan because there have been numerous requests from readers for makan places that are halal.

Kedai Kopi 333 at Jalan USJ 11/1J was formerly a mamak restaurant and, recently, a bumiputra entrepreneur had taken over the business.


Generous portion: Mee Bandung Muar

With some detective work, I learnt that the outlet is operated by Mohd Adib Sidek, an old hand at street food.

Adib is known for his other outlet in SS15 called Kafe FAB. This is also the guy responsible for the Sup Bomba and Nasi Telepon Booth.

With Pak Hassan’s recommendation in hand, I went over to the Kedai Kopi 333 after office hours. It wasn’t hard to locate the eatery as it is brightly lit during the night.

When I got there, the first thing that caught my attention was a stall with a signboard that read Mee Bandung Muar.

But, before I delve into this traditional Malay dish, here’s a side story; when I was growing up near the Jalan Raja Bot market, I had a school friend named Anuar Saad.


Spicy treat: Nasi rendang minang

His mother ran a stall specialising in Mee Bandung and she would often offer me a serving at no charge, although at RM1.50 a plate, the price was reasonable for the late 1970s.

The noodles were tasty and you would find the standard garnishings like chopped coriander, fried shallots, slices of tofu, a poached egg, beef slices and shrimps.

To me, Anuar’s mum’s cooking has become the benchmark for a good Mee Bandung. As a matter of fact, some of the stalls at Jalan Raja Bot still offer the dish, though whether Anuar’s mum is among them, I do not know. Perhaps a follow-up trip is in order!.

Back to Kedai Kopi 333. I met the stall operator who goes by the name Rosli ‘ganu (he’s from Terengganu) who told me that he learned the Mee Bandung Muar recipe from several masters from Johor.

“Ah, Mee Bandung ni, saya berguru dengan orang Batu Pahat. Dan perisa Mee Bandung Muar ni memang lain pasal kita guna banyak udang kering dan sup tulang.” (I learned this from a guy from Batu Pahat and to prepare the gravy, I use plenty of dried shrimp and beef stock.)

I gave this noodle dish a try at RM5 a helping and found it to be decent tasting. There’s a generous portion of egg noodles and garnishing to go around.

While I was savouring the Mee Bandung, I also noticed customers ordering take-away portions. On average, Rosli said he could sell up to 50 plates of noodles a night.

He added that demand soared during the weekends, especially if there was a late night televised soccer match. Well, for RM5, I had nothing to complain about.

According to Rosli, Kedai Kopi 333 also specialises in rice dishes like the nasi ayam percik and nasi rendang minang.

I tried the coffee here and found it to be just average. Anyway, the outlet is one of the very few Kopitiam that is fully managed by a Malay owner.

So, on that note, the food there which is based on the Southern way of preparation is commendable.So, if you plan to make a trip to Kedai Kopi 333 for a plate of Mee Bandung, the best time is from 7pm to 10pm.

For handheld GPS owners, the coordinates are: 3 2’ 23” N, 101 34’ 44” E. Oh, last but not least, if you own a cellphone that uses the A-GPS mode, be reminded that data packet charges applies to this function. So, till the next outing, happy hunting and have a good makan!

The Place For Fish Head Curry

Food Trail
By SAM CHEONG


THERE is a fish head curry stall in Kampung Attap where the “who’s who” in Kuala Lumpur frequently hang out.

This place had eluded me for nearly a year since I planned to have lunch there with my colleagues Frederick Fernandez and Y.P. Sivam. Our last attempt to makan there ended in failure because the stall was closed.


Growing business: The stall has expanded its operations to this shop in Kampung Attap.

If you love fish head curry, this is one of the highly recommended places in the city centre.

As for the “celebrity list” of who eats here, suffice it to say I heard that local singers, actors, actresses, corporate bigwigs and even politicians have checked it out.

The place in question is ZK Kari Kepala Ikan. It has been around for decades and became the talk of the town among food lovers.

I had heard of this place from a cab driver some 15 years ago while we were driving past a ramp near Kampung Attap. “Eh, kalau abang nak makan nasi campur murah, ah, ni tempat dia (if you want to pack your nasi campur, this is the place),” he said.


Generous portion: The curry fish head is enough to feed at least three people.

So, after giving it a miss for nearly a decade, I finally checked it out three years ago. To get my fill, I rounded up some old kaki, namely, C.M. Khor, Philip Lim and Lee Hon Yew.

These are guys who love food and I value their opinion, especially that of Lee, who has been a photographer for more than four decades.

I find the fare here pretty decent. The stall offers curry fish head at RM50 a pop, and besides that, you can also savour its ayam madu (fried chicken with honey gravy).

To get a fresh perspective on this, I revisited the stall with my colleague Frederick and Adrian Phung, one of the interns on our desk.

“Eh, Fred, if we want to makan there ah, better leave early because the place is usually crowded during lunch time,” I advised.

So, after we completed our morning duties, we left for the stall from Menara Star in Section 16 via the Kerinchi Link. The journey took us about 15 minutes.

Finding a place to park around the Kampung Attap area can be a hassle. Paid parking lots are an option but many of the patrons here choose to double park their vehicles along the busy stretch, which has proven to be a problem to some motorists.

Once we had located a parking spot, we took a walk to the makan place and found a large crowd there. We picked a strategic place to sit, with the stall and its crowd in full view.

Frederick ordered a serving of curry fish head and each of us settled on the ayam madu as our side order. Service was prompt, with the food delivered in less than 10 minutes.

We had the ikan merah (red snapper) head served with lady’s finger, eggplant and taufoo pok (bean curd). The standard side orders that come with our order were taugeh masak kobis (bean sprouts and cabbage) and acar bawang cili hijau kicap manis (sliced onions with green chillies and dark soya sauce).

Where taste is concerned, I would say that it was pretty decent. On a scale of 1-10, ZK kari kepala ikan would rate a 6. The portions are generous, and to savour the fish head, you will need a minimum of three persons. We were fortunate to have Phun to back us up during the makan session.

My only grouse is that the fish head was not cleaned properly. I found some scales on the fish head, which was a turn-off.

But, that did not stop me from enjoying my favourite part of the dish – the fish eyeballs. And, as Frederick and Phun did not share my taste for it, the pleasure of sucking the soft, jelly-like flesh and chewy eyeballs out of the fish head’s eye sockets was all mine.

Before that, I polished off the lower jaws, lips and tongue of the snapper. Our bill for the day came up to RM84. A hefty sum, but if you share the cost, it is a worthwhile experience.

Well, just as we were walking back to our car, two decently dressed guys approached me and introduced themselves.

I immediately sized them up and assessed the situation. From the first impression, they looked like thugs from the tiga line group. But, they were polite, and that made the difference in a standoff situation.

“Eh, encik tadi ambil gambar untuk tujuan apa?” one of them asked. So, I told him that I took photos of the stall’s exterior as a visual reference so that I could introduce the curry fish head place to my friends.

I was not intimidated by their action, nor was I in a state of panic. With my “how to get out of a hairy situations” training, I told them that they had nothing to worry about. Perhaps they, too, were intimidated by my sheer built and having politely addressed the situation, they backed off with a smile.

Later, I learnt that some politicians were having their lunch there and as we drove past a row of cars parked on the roadside, I saw the vehicle of a high-ranking government official, which explained the cloak and dagger situation that I had experienced. The guys who had come up to me and asked the purpose of my taking pictures there might have been the bigwig’s escort detail.

But, back to how to get there: since there are no direct bus routes to this area, the highly recommended way to get there is by carpooling.

You can also take the KL monorail and get off at Jalan Maharjalela. From the monorail station, it is about a 12-minute walk to get to the stall, which is located at the far end corner of Jalan Kampung Attap.

If you own an in-vehicle GPS navigator, the lat - long coordinates are: 3 8’ 31” N, 101 41’ 43” E.

So, have fun and a great time!

Barbecued To Perfection

By CHRISTINA LOW


IT IS never easy being the new kid on the block but Tempt a Tempt BBQ restaurant is already planning to cement its place in the hearts of foodies living in Cheras with its unique array of Chinese food.

“In the same way that particular brand names are used by the public to refer to certain products, we want ours to be synonymous with the kind of food we serve,” said the restaurant’s operations manager, Lee Chai Eng.

Lee said the three-month-old outlet in Cheras was the company’s first, and they had chosen to focus on value-for-money barbecue favourites.


All-in-one: Three Treasures BBQ Combo Rice comes with a small portion each of Roast Pork, Roast Duck and Honey Glazed Roast Pork

According to Lee, the barbecue dishes are all prepared to traditional recipes, but she declined to share anything on them despite my best cajoling efforts.

Lee lamented that many modern chefs often modified the taste of the food according to their personal preferences, so not many people really knew how the original dishes tasted, and thus, the restaurant kept strictly to recipes and ingredients that were said to be authentic.

“These days, chefs sometimes substitute some ingredients in a recipe, and then perhaps change them again. But, if we keep changing things, after a while the young would not know how original dishes taste, and in future, no one would know,” Lee said.

Lee said one of the authentic dishes served at the outlet was the specially prepared Roasted Suckling Pig, which was available in three sizes — small, medium and large — at RM128, RM148 and RM178 respectively. It is said to be a hit among the youngsters.


Chef’s recommendation: Crispy Boneless Chicken with Roast Almond Flakes.

“There are a number of Chinese festivals for which this dish is used for prayers or as gifts to a family.

“However, it would be a nightmare for the younger set to purchase it, as many simply do not know where to find it. But now they do,” said Lee.

Those who buy the suckling pig would be bringing the delicacy home in a specially designed red box to suit every occasion.

Gauging from the dishes chef Chan Weng San dished out during the review, patrons of the outlet will be in for a surprise. For a start, there is the array of dishes on the menu.


Cool treat: Vanilla with Longan Sea Coconut Smoothie.

Chan recommended the Deep Fried Lotus Slices and Crispy Boneless Chicken with Roast Almond Flakes.

The lotus root slices were crispy like potato chips, but Chan gave a twist to the vegetable by tossing it in mashed salted egg yolk, making it an instant favourite of mine.

The restaurant serves several varieties of porridge, such as Paddy Frog, Sliced Venison, Fish and Pork Liver, Abalone, Pork and Chicken.

Noodles like vermicelli, hor fun, yee mee, prepared in a variety of ways, as well as the traditional wanton noodles, are also available.

For dessert, you can choose from Mango Pudding, Peanut Paste, Glutinous Dumpling in Ginger Soup or Herbal Guiling Jelly.

> TEMPT A TEMPT BBQ, 24 Ground Floor, Jalan Manis 3, Taman Segar, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (Tel: 03-9132 0229). Business Hours: 10.30am to 10.30pm, daily. Non-halal.