Fresh and well-cooked food brings foodies to Sungai Pelek.
We found E.P. Hoon Restaurant by chance. Located just opposite the Sungai Pelek, Selangor, big market, it is a typical tai chow diner. Though there had been earlier calls for a place with a better decorative concept, a wiser member of the group reasoned that one goes to a restaurant because of the cooking, not to admire the decor. Besides, she reasoned, the best tasting food have a tendency to hide in non-descript places like these.
Looks can be deceiving: The calamari rings scored big taste wise.
Thus convinced, we settled on a dinner of steamed Tom Yam garoupa, sizzling Japanese tofu, deep fried sotong rings and fried oyster served on a hot plate.
It took 45 minutes before our food arrived as the place was running on full. Throughout the waiting period, there was plenty of time to observe what the other tables were having. One interesting dish that appeared was chicken gizzards stir-fried in green peas. Based on guesswork, the cook must have a method for tenderizing the innards as gizzard is well-known for its resilient character. Judging from how one veteran diner with dentures was relishing the gizzards and green peas, the cook must have done a good job!
When our orders arrived, the steamed garoupa in Tom Yam sauce was the first to be “attacked”. There was much anticipation for the fish as Sungai Pelek has a known reputation for fresh seafood. We were not disappointed as the white, firm flesh lived up to our expectations. The spicy tom yam gravy was a tongue tickler with hints of tamarind and chillies and served to bring out the flavours of the garoupa.
Addictive: The steamed garoupa in tom yam sauce
While the ladies’ fingers added a nice touch to the dish, the sticky ooze from this vegetable would later impart a slimy consistency to the gravy. This was a sure sign that the cook had not blanched the cut ladies’ fingers in hot water before putting it on the fish platter. No one minded this a bit as the gravy was so addictive.
The best part of the fish would come last as we sucked the jelly-textured skin of the fish from the bones. By this time, the gravy had soaked into the deepest recesses of the fish to impart its spicy, aromatic flavours.
The fried oyster did not fall short of expectations either. A generous dollop of oysters was served atop a lake of soft scrambled eggs on a hot plate. The eggs which had been lightly fried were further stirred as the oyster hot plate arrived.
The heat gently cooked the egg and oysters further and maintained the natural flavours within the hot plate. For those who like their oysters unhindered, ensure that you remind the cook not to mix them up in a starchy solution. From experience, timing is an essential point when you want to serve ‘oh chien’ this way. It has to come straight from the wok to the table. Any delays and the heat will steam the egg and cause the oysters to sink in a hard protein covering and rob them of their subtle flavours.
As for the fried calamari there were some who opined that the cook could have been more thorough with the battering process as there were huge gaps revealing the white flesh which reminded one of a tattered shirt. But where the batter had covered the flesh, it was crisp on the outside but tender within which made for very good eating.
The freshness of the calamari meat also made up for its tattered appearance. The thick, white rings of sotong also had a firm but pliable texture which indicated that it had been cooked with the right amount of heat and time length. Naturally, they were a hit with the children who twirled the rings around their fingers before popping them into their mouths.
Tasty tofu: The sizzling Japanese tofu.
A good gravy to soften the white rice for the children was found in the sizzling Japanese tofu (RM10). Made out of bone and vegetable stock, it was darkened with thick soya sauce and in it were bits of minced chicken, chopped black mushrooms, prawns and corn kernels.
The soft pieces of Japanese tofu, which had been deep fried before hand, soaked the gravy up through its outer skin and the result was a flavourful bite. It was also a delightful sensation to feel the tofu melting in one’s mouth.
From the looks of it, this humble restaurant seems to have quite an influential following. This is evident from the framed up photos of the owner Yap Chin Hee, 51, posing with a former member of parliament. Yap who has been helming the restaurant’s kitchen for eight years revealed that he had started life in house construction before trading his hammer for an apron.
E.P. Hoon Restaurant is located at Lot 532, Jalan Pasar, 43950, Sungai Pelek. Tel: 03-3141 2124 or 019-269 8879.
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