The fish head curry stall at Sin Hiap Kee is Pudu is much talked about among my colleagues; they claim it is among the best in Klang Valley. I’ve visited the place twice thus far, once with my colleagues and the second visit with rif. On both occasions, photos were taken using my Lumia 1520 […]

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One of the perks about living in Malaysia is the exposure to different types of cuisines. Punjabi food is something I rarely get to enjoy, ever since I left high school and lost touch with a few of my Punjabi peers. I was recently re-introduced to this cuisine when my colleagues and I visited Tiger […]

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When a restaurant doesn’t have a fixed menu and requires three days of advance order so that the chef can prepare the dishes accordingly, one would expect the meal to be a good. At least that was what expected when I went to Hiong Kong Restaurant in Pudu Plaza, a restaurant located at the lower ground floor of the mall.

No-frills setup

Hiong Kong Restaurant has a no-frills setup with fluorescent lighting and large tables draped with yellow cloth for 10 pax. Chef Wong is known to serve excellent food and a meal at his restaurant would take a good 2 hours or more, depending on the number of dishes you order. There is no rushing Chef Wong to dish out the food at fast food restaurant pace – each dish is prepared carefully, taking into account taste, consistency and presentation.

Fish lip soup

The first dish to arrive was the soup, which you can opt for either shark fin or fish lip. I don’t condone eating sharks fin so the latter option is eco-friendlier and less painful to the wallet. This was really tasty and no vinegar was needed as the broth was sweet, flavourful and thick from the amount of ingredients used.

Lobster platter

Lobster Platter is a sumptuous platter comprising fried prawns, yam basket with kung po chicken, century egg, baby octopus, scallops, jellyfish, pork ribs and the highlight, lobster salad. This is a signature dish at Hiong Kong Restaurant so do make sure you try this when you’re there.

Steamed pomfret

I’m not a big fan of fish (especially the steamed ones) but Chef Wong’s steamed pomfret was delicious. The gravy is thicker than the usual soy sauce based ones, and full of umami. I found myself going for a second and third helping.

Chicken with fish paste

The chicken with fish paste is another popular item here, where most of the chicken flesh is replaced with fish paste, and deep fried till the skin is crispy. It was alright, but not something I particularly enjoyed. Eat it with chilli sauce for extra kick.

Extra-large Prawns

Filled with roe

We also had the extra-large prawns, coated in a deliciously sticky sauce that accentuates the richness of the roe. So bad for the waistline but this was good stuff. I had two whole prawns to myself.

Stir-fried lotus roots

The stir-fried lotus is another dish that came highly recommended where the thin slices of lotus roots are cooked with roasted macadamia nuts, assorted mushrooms, sweet peas and macadamia nuts. Simple, yet packed with flavour.

Braised HK yee mee

We were stuffed by the time the noodle dish arrived – tossed with pork slivers, some greens and prawns. The was just enough gravy to coat the noodles without making it loose its toothsome texture. Tastewise, I thought this was just alright.

Caramelised yam sticks

Dessert was yam coated in caramelised sugar, similar to the Teo Chew style caramelised yam sticks but tastier. This one is coated for you beforehand, so the yam is hot and fluffy at the centre and crunchy on the outside.

Eating at Hiong Kong Restaurant is a somewhat luxurious affair. A meal can cost anywhere between RM70 to RM200 per head, depending on the items (and quantity) you order. Reemember to call them 3 days ahead to reserve a table and order the dishes, as they don’t entertain walk-ins. 

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Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 7.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Try the lobster platter and the extra-large prawns. Those are good stuff.

Hiong Kong Restaurant
Hiong Kong Food Square, LC5
Lower Ground, Pudu Plaza
Jalan Landak
Pudu, Kuala Lumpur

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Pudu is a place filled with hidden food gems – one that I’m slowly discovering as I go along the area. Yung Kee Beef Noodles came highly recommended by some avid beef lover friends of mine, citing the broth as “the beefiest you can ever find” in Klang Valley.

We drove by Yung Kee Beef a couple of times and they were packed so we settled for something else. Last weekend however, we struck gold when we tried our luck slightly after lunch hour at 1.30pm. Fortunately, there was still enough beef for them to prepare two bowls of noodles for us plus two more takeaway packets.

Brisket is their best seller here so if you’re a fan, Yung Kee is the right place for you. They also have specialty cuts like kobe (RM150), wagyu M10 (RM130) and US striploin (RM30) if you’re looking to splurge. Jien and I opted for their regular – a mix of brisket and tendon at RM15 per bowl.

Dry style beef noodles

The noodles come with thick sauce that’s savoury-sweet and topped with peanuts for crunch

I ordered soup noodles while he tried the dry version so we can compare; we both preferred the soup version. Yung Kee’s dry style beef noodles came with peanuts and thick sauce which was slightly on the sweet side for us. While it was decent, the flavours reminded me of Seremban beef noodles and that’s not quite my favourite version of beef noodles.

Soup beef noodles at Yung Kee

Gloriously beefy

Possibly the beefiest broth I’ve tried

The soup beef noodles however, hit all the right notes. It wasn’t about the noodles nor the brisket, but the proof was in the soup itself. Then the brisket, tendon and other meat bits come in secondary. I’ve never tasted such a thick, and robustly beefy broth like this – if you’re not big on strong beef flavours, I suggest you skip Yung Kee altogether.

But if you’re a fan of beef noodles and haven’t tried Yung Kee’s version yet, you’re missing out. The brisket and tendon were quite good; cooked till tender and gelatinous, and tasty when dipped into chilli sauce. The noodles were so good I contemplated another bowl but my stomach capacity these days have taken a step back so I asked for two takeaway packets so I can continue enjoying the beef noodles at home.

Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 7.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Really good beef noodles. Enough said.

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Yung Kee Beef Noodles
9, Jalan Kancil,
55100 Pudu,
Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 8.30am till 3pm
Tel: 012-215 8009

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When it comes to dessert, tong sui always gets me excited. Especially if peanut paste and black sesame paste is available. I’ve been going to the dessert shop across Restoran Ruby (PMK) for years until a friend told me to try Restoran Ruby for comparison instead.

Tong sui done the old school way

It was apt timing too, as PMK Dessert wasn’t open and the bubbling cauldrons of homemade tong sui lined up in front of Restoran Ruby was too good to resist. We ordered everything they had – peanut paste (RM3.30), black sesame paste (RM3.30), almond paste (RM4.50), steamed egg custard (RM3) and steamed egg custard with wolfberries (RM3.50).

Menu

Almond tong sui in the making

The recipe for these tong sui is handed down through four generations and Restoran Ruby is helmed by Ricky Kan, known by many as the Chi Ma Wu king. Indonesian helpers man the front of house; each of them had a specific task and they spoke better Chinese than me.

Chi Ma Wu (black sesame paste)

Chi Ma Wu (black sesame paste) isn’t widely available these days and the places I’ve been to don’t do it proper. It’s often watery or worse, artificial tasting – as though a pre-mix was used. Restoran Ruby makes its black sesame paste fresh, by grinding the black sesame in the stone mill and cooking it slowly over slow fire for a thick and creamy consistency.

The chi ma wu is aromatic and rich, with grainy bits of ground sesame studded between the smooth mixture for character and flavour. It’s definitely tastier than the one at PMK and I like how it’s not overly sweet so you get a good balance in each spoon.

Prepping the peanut paste

Fa Sang Wu (peanut paste)

Thick, smooth and aromatic

Another favourite of mine is the peanut paste (fa sang wu) which features ground roasted peanuts cooked the same way as the black sesame tong sui. This has a stronger aroma from the roasting of the peanuts, and the tong sui is just as thick and creamy. I can’t decide which I like better, so I’ll be ordering both when I return next.

Almond paste

Almond paste is a popular tong sui in Hong Kong but it’s rarer to find in KL compared to the first two. Restoran Ruby serves a pretty decent version though I still feel the one from Hong Kong is still better. This was smooth and creamy, and of moderate thickness. You get a nice aroma from the ground almonds and a light finish at the end of each mouthful.

Steamed egg custard with wolfberries

Steamed egg custard (plain)

I’m not sure if it’s my luck at afternoon, but both the steamed egg custard I ordered had a strong egg-y smell. While it is afterall “egg” custard, I don’t fancy it being so heady – I reckon maybe the eggs used weren’t fresh, hence the outcome.

l-r: Steamed egg custard, black sesame, almond paste and peanut paste

That aside, the black sesame, peanut and almond paste are good stuff and definitely worth checking out. I’ll be returning for more of these soon! If you live in Cheras, lucky you for the best black sesame I’ve eaten is from this uncle who mans a pushcart in Taman Muda.

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 7.5/10
Verdict: One of the best black sesame and peanut paste I’ve tried.

Restoran Ruby (芝麻糊大王)
Jalan Sayur, Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 012-382 2262
Business hours: 11am till midnight daily
Website

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We all have our favourite spot when it comes to food; influenced by upbringing, culture and personal preference. At least that’s my conclusion when it comes to writing about my favourite food places. A friend of ours recommended his favourite roast duck spot, claiming it’s much better than my regular place which is overrated and sometimes, terribly disappointing I was told.

This friend spoke rather highly about Siew Ngap Fai in Pudu, said to be around for 70 years. The restaurant setup is basic, with photos of past owners adorning the walls. I was told the current owner is the fourth generation to run this business, which was handed down by his great grandfather to his grandfather, to his father and now, him.

Lunch for two

Jien and I shared half a roast duck, a small portion of char siew and vegetable stew, which arrived fairly quickly. The roast duck was pretty decent – tender and hardly gamey with thin, crispy skin topped with light, herbal gravy.

Roast duck – half

Chilli dipping sauce

Char siew

I would have preferred a fatter duck because I feel the fat gives the breast section a lot more flavour, but the accompanying chilli dipping sauce packed a wallop. This accentuated the flavour of the duck nicely. The char siew was just alright by my books. It was adequately tender but not the melt-in-the-mouth sort.

Vegetable stew

Siew Ngap Fai’s vegetable stew was good stuff – tangy, savoury and rich from all the duck and pork meat essence. I like that the broth is thick and spicy enough from the addition of dried chilli, as it gives the stew a lot more kick.

Complimentary soup

Also good is their complimentary soup made using spicy vegetables and duck bones. You get that lovely peppery aroma and a deep, rich flavour from the cooking process. It’s as good as the one from Sunrise and I like how Siew Ngap Fai isn’t stingy when it comes to refills.

If I’m not mistaken, half a roast duck costs RM30 while a small plate of char siew is RM15. Our bill came up to RM60 for all the above including two rice and drinks.

Overall, I find the food quite decent but me being me, I still prefer my regular spot because the aunty and uncle knows just how I like my duck served. Plus they are always nice to me (I heard they aren’t to many) so there’s no reason for me to switch.

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 6/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Pretty decent roast duck and vegetable stew.

Siew Ngap Fai
34 Lorong Yap Hin,
off Jalan Pasar,
55100 Pudu,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2142 8394 / 016-371 1490
Business hours: 11.30am till 3pm

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One of the few food places Jien took me to during our courtship days was Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea – he would pick me up at 7.30am and drive me all the way to Imbi for a breakfast of kaya toast and Hainan tea. Back then, I didn’t know much about food so I thought of it as just “kaya toast and iced milk tea that’s far away”.

I’ve been meaning to visit Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea at their new location in ICC Pudu since a lot of people were raving about it, and managed to do so a couple of weeks back. The place although bigger and brighter, exudes a chaotic vibe due to the influx of people going in and out for their toast and tea fix.

Iced Hainan tea, iced cham and bun bakar

Getting a table can be tricky if you arrive past 11am – that’s peak period for Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea so expect to wait between 15-30 minutes for a table to vacate. The Hainan tea seemed weaker in flavour compared to what I remembered it to be. Jien however, thinks it’s the same as before but other coffeeshops have upped their game, hence my disappointment.

For something stronger, get the iced cham — a mix of tea and coffee with milk. While this was bolder than the tea, the cham didn’t quite have the aroma and thickness I was seeking. Perhaps I should have ordered both the drinks hot. Jien prefers the grilled bun with kaya and butter over kaya toast – I like the latter as the bread is lighter and allows the flavour of the butter and coconut jam to stand out.

Kaya butter toast

Can’t go wrong with thick butter and kaya!

The bun version is also quite good; you get more chew which is what Jien seeks. I tried the steamed bun before and didn’t like it as much. That version is lighter than the grilled bun but it doesn’t have a crust. The soft boiled eggs is something I tend to order when I eat kaya butter toast. Nothing special, really.

Tomyam with instant noodles

Skip the tomyam noodles from the stall a few doors away from Ah Weng Koh. I believe it’s under the same people because you’re allowed to order from the kakak who takes your drinks and toast order. The tomyam tasted like the instant version you can find at supermarkets – only, more dressed up with shallots, tomatoes and fish ball.

Overall, I still think Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea is worth checking out at least once for the toast and tea. Who knows, you might like it better than I did. For me, I’d go to relive the memories of Jien and myself back in the days. Another option for toast and drinks would be Thong Kee in Seapark.

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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 5.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Old school kaya butter toast and iced tea. Be prepared to wait a little for your table.

Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea & Coffee
Lot G85, ICC Pudu
Jalan 1/77C Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 5.30am – 2pm
(Closed on Mondays)

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I’ve been hearing mixed reviews about the hawker stalls at Imbi Market in ICC Pudu – some tell me the food is terrible while others remain hardcore fans, namely the pork noodles. My in-laws fall under the former category, insisting that a visit will prove to be disappointing knowing how particular Jien and I are about food.

Still, we went because “never try never know” right?

We did a stall-hop kind of excursion, starting with the pork noodles stall and worked our way around the food market. Alas, the in-laws were right. The noodles were disappointing – both the soup and dry version. No pork richness in the broth and hardly any enticing aroma as you dig into the noodles.

I prefer the broth for the dry pork noodles

Dry pork noodles, looking rather pale

Soup pork noodles

I reckon the dry version is better because the broth is thicker without any flavour alteration from the noodles but it was still a below average bowl of pork noodles. You will need a lot of soy sauce and chopped cili padi to accentuate the flavour.

Char kuay teow

Hian Kee Char Kuay Teow looks to be a popular option with the crowd so we ordered a plate to try. It was nothing to shout about and if I may say so, rather forgettable. While the kuay teow had a decent amount of char, it didn’t have enough flavour overall. There was also too much beansprouts in the mix so that took away some attention from the noodles.

The curry laksa from Choo Choo Hainanese Stall was the best tasting among the noodles we had at ICC Pudu. That being said, it wasn’t particularly memorable either. This comes with chicken pieces, long beans, cockles and tofu puffs with your choice of noodles. I’d order this over the rest if I ever have to eat here again.

If you’re coming into the food market from the staircase, there’s this stall selling steamed buns and dumplings right in front. Order the yellow wine chicken pau – that’s quite tasty. We tried it at the market and ordered another box to take home.

*You can also head straight on for the famous Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea, right outside the food centre.

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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Skip the pork noodles at all cost. Try the pan-fried buns.

Imbi Market, ICC Pudu
Jalan Kijang, Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 6am till 2pm
(closed Monday)

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My mother in-law has been raving about the steamed chicken and kai si hor fun from Guang Ji Ho Fun & Chicken Rice at Jalan San Peng so much so she sounded like a broken record. Seeing how often she sang praises about this place, Jien and I decided to check it out recently.

Late afternoon crowd

We arrived pretty late in the afternoon (circa 2.30pm) so most of the steamed and roasted chicken were gone. Fortunately, there was enough left for me to place my order. I ordered half a steamed chicken (RM28) and half a roasted chicken (RM28) for comparison. We also snapped up a portion of char siew (RM22), good for 4 pax or more.

Chilli sauce

Braised pork and tofu

My father in-law ordered a plate of braised pork with tofu because according to him, they make it really well. This stall has been around for quite some time – I remember seeing it often when I ate at the chapati stall next door. It was perpetually crowded, which is also why I never tried it back then.

Kai Si Hor Fun

Since my mother in-law sang high praises about the kai si hor fun (in her words, it’s better than even the ones from Ipoh), I skipped the rice and opted for a bowl of kai si hor fun (RM7) instead. Jien ordered a bowl of plain hor fun to go with his chicken.

The kai si hor fun is quite good but claiming that it’s better than the ones from Ipoh is an overstatement since the hor fun from Ipoh is silkier and the beansprouts there are far superior. This one from San Peng has a sweet and flavourful broth with specks of burnt orange oil that I presume, comes from prawn oil.

If you’re looking for something more basic, get the plain hor fun soup (RM5) which has no chicken or prawns inside. You also get a bit of prawn oil on top, though not as much as what you’d get when you order kai si hor fun.

Char Siew

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The char siew is delicious – a good balance of fat and meat with a nice caramelised char around the edges. I’d say this is one of the best char siew options I’ve encountered from a chicken rice stall. The braised pork with tofu is also worth a mention as both the pork and tofu are well flavoured from the braising and the gravy has a good balance of savoury, sweet and spices.

Steamed chicken

As for the chicken, I feel it’s decent but certainly not the best there is around. I feel my MIL overhyped this as I was expecting a spectacular plate of steamed chicken in a light yet flavour-packed gravy. But San Peng’s steamed chicken was just moderately tender and the gravy was sodium heavy.

Roast chicken

The roasted chicken isn’t as tasty as the steamed chicken, so I suggest you order the steamed chicken if you’re planning to eat here. For some reason, the roasted chicken flesh is coarser and drier – definitely not as enjoyable as I expected it to be. Again, the gravy is quite salty so if you’re adverse to sodium, this might not be your plate of chicken.

Overall, I like the char siew, kai si hor fun and braised pork but find the steamed chicken just slightly above average.

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Try the char siew, kai si hor fun and braised pork. The steamed chicken is not bad but definitely not the best around.

Guang Ji Ho Fun & Chicken Rice
Jalan San Peng, Pudu,
55200 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 7.30am till 4pm

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When it comes to dessert, tong sui always gets me excited. Especially if peanut paste and black sesame paste is available. I’ve been going to the dessert shop across Restoran Ruby (PMK) for years until a friend told me to try Restoran Ruby for comparison instead.

Tong sui done the old school way

It was apt timing too, as PMK Dessert wasn’t open and the bubbling cauldrons of homemade tong sui lined up in front of Restoran Ruby was too good to resist. We ordered everything they had – peanut paste (RM3.30), black sesame paste (RM3.30), almond paste (RM4.50), steamed egg custard (RM3) and steamed egg custard with wolfberries (RM3.50).

Menu

Almond tong sui in the making

The recipe for these tong sui is handed down through four generations and Restoran Ruby is helmed by Ricky Kan, known by many as the Chi Ma Wu king. Indonesian helpers man the front of house; each of them had a specific task and they spoke better Chinese than me.

Chi Ma Wu (black sesame paste)

Chi Ma Wu (black sesame paste) isn’t widely available these days and the places I’ve been to don’t do it proper. It’s often watery or worse, artificial tasting – as though a pre-mix was used. Restoran Ruby makes its black sesame paste fresh, by grinding the black sesame in the stone mill and cooking it slowly over slow fire for a thick and creamy consistency.

The chi ma wu is aromatic and rich, with grainy bits of ground sesame studded between the smooth mixture for character and flavour. It’s definitely tastier than the one at PMK and I like how it’s not overly sweet so you get a good balance in each spoon.

Prepping the peanut paste

Fa Sang Wu (peanut paste)

Thick, smooth and aromatic

Another favourite of mine is the peanut paste (fa sang wu) which features ground roasted peanuts cooked the same way as the black sesame tong sui. This has a stronger aroma from the roasting of the peanuts, and the tong sui is just as thick and creamy. I can’t decide which I like better, so I’ll be ordering both when I return next.

Almond paste

Almond paste is a popular tong sui in Hong Kong but it’s rarer to find in KL compared to the first two. Restoran Ruby serves a pretty decent version though I still feel the one from Hong Kong is still better. This was smooth and creamy, and of moderate thickness. You get a nice aroma from the ground almonds and a light finish at the end of each mouthful.

Steamed egg custard with wolfberries

Steamed egg custard (plain)

I’m not sure if it’s my luck at afternoon, but both the steamed egg custard I ordered had a strong egg-y smell. While it is afterall “egg” custard, I don’t fancy it being so heady – I reckon maybe the eggs used weren’t fresh, hence the outcome.

l-r: Steamed egg custard, black sesame, almond paste and peanut paste

That aside, the black sesame, peanut and almond paste are good stuff and definitely worth checking out. I’ll be returning for more of these soon! If you live in Cheras, lucky you for the best black sesame I’ve eaten is from this uncle who mans a pushcart in Taman Muda. :)

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 7.5/10
Verdict: One of the best black sesame and peanut paste I’ve tried.

Restoran Ruby (芝麻糊大王)
Jalan Sayur, Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 012-382 2262
Business hours: 11am till midnight daily
Website

We all have our favourite spot when it comes to food; influenced by upbringing, culture and personal preference. At least that’s my conclusion when it comes to writing about my favourite food places. A friend of ours recommended his favourite roast duck spot, claiming it’s much better than my regular place which is overrated and sometimes, terribly disappointing I was told.

This friend spoke rather highly about Siew Ngap Fai in Pudu, said to be around for 70 years. The restaurant setup is basic, with photos of past owners adorning the walls. I was told the current owner is the fourth generation to run this business, which was handed down by his great grandfather to his grandfather, to his father and now, him.

Lunch for two

Jien and I shared half a roast duck, a small portion of char siew and vegetable stew, which arrived fairly quickly. The roast duck was pretty decent – tender and hardly gamey with thin, crispy skin topped with light, herbal gravy.

Roast duck – half

Chilli dipping sauce

Char siew

I would have preferred a fatter duck because I feel the fat gives the breast section a lot more flavour, but the accompanying chilli dipping sauce packed a wallop. This accentuated the flavour of the duck nicely. The char siew was just alright by my books. It was adequately tender but not the melt-in-the-mouth sort.

Vegetable stew

Siew Ngap Fai’s vegetable stew was good stuff – tangy, savoury and rich from all the duck and pork meat essence. I like that the broth is thick and spicy enough from the addition of dried chilli, as it gives the stew a lot more kick.

Complimentary soup

Also good is their complimentary soup made using spicy vegetables and duck bones. You get that lovely peppery aroma and a deep, rich flavour from the cooking process. It’s as good as the one from Sunrise and I like how Siew Ngap Fai isn’t stingy when it comes to refills.

If I’m not mistaken, half a roast duck costs RM30 while a small plate of char siew is RM15. Our bill came up to RM60 for all the above including two rice and drinks.

Overall, I find the food quite decent but me being me, I still prefer my regular spot because the aunty and uncle knows just how I like my duck served. Plus they are always nice to me (I heard they aren’t to many) so there’s no reason for me to switch.

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 6/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Pretty decent roast duck and vegetable stew.

Siew Ngap Fai
34 Lorong Yap Hin,
off Jalan Pasar,
55100 Pudu,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2142 8394 / 016-371 1490
Business hours: 11.30am till 3pm

One of the few food places Jien took me to during our courtship days was Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea – he would pick me up at 7.30am and drive me all the way to Imbi for a breakfast of kaya toast and Hainan tea. Back then, I didn’t know much about food so I thought of it as just “kaya toast and iced milk tea that’s far away”.

I’ve been meaning to visit Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea at their new location in ICC Pudu since a lot of people were raving about it, and managed to do so a couple of weeks back. The place although bigger and brighter, exudes a chaotic vibe due to the influx of people going in and out for their toast and tea fix.

Iced Hainan tea, iced cham and bun bakar

Getting a table can be tricky if you arrive past 11am – that’s peak period for Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea so expect to wait between 15-30 minutes for a table to vacate. The Hainan tea seemed weaker in flavour compared to what I remembered it to be. Jien however, thinks it’s the same as before but other coffeeshops have upped their game, hence my disappointment.

For something stronger, get the iced cham — a mix of tea and coffee with milk. While this was bolder than the tea, the cham didn’t quite have the aroma and thickness I was seeking. Perhaps I should have ordered both the drinks hot. Jien prefers the grilled bun with kaya and butter over kaya toast – I like the latter as the bread is lighter and allows the flavour of the butter and coconut jam to stand out.

Kaya butter toast

Can’t go wrong with thick butter and kaya!

The bun version is also quite good; you get more chew which is what Jien seeks. I tried the steamed bun before and didn’t like it as much. That version is lighter than the grilled bun but it doesn’t have a crust. The soft boiled eggs is something I tend to order when I eat kaya butter toast. Nothing special, really.

Tomyam with instant noodles

Skip the tomyam noodles from the stall a few doors away from Ah Weng Koh. I believe it’s under the same people because you’re allowed to order from the kakak who takes your drinks and toast order. The tomyam tasted like the instant version you can find at supermarkets – only, more dressed up with shallots, tomatoes and fish ball.

Overall, I still think Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea is worth checking out at least once for the toast and tea. Who knows, you might like it better than I did. For me, I’d go to relive the memories of Jien and myself back in the days. Another option for toast and drinks would be Thong Kee in Seapark. ;)

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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 5.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Old school kaya butter toast and iced tea. Be prepared to wait a little for your table.

Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea & Coffee
Lot G85, ICC Pudu
Jalan 1/77C Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 5.30am – 2pm
(Closed on Mondays)

I’ve been hearing mixed reviews about the hawker stalls at Imbi Market in ICC Pudu – some tell me the food is terrible while others remain hardcore fans, namely the pork noodles. My in-laws fall under the former category, insisting that a visit will prove to be disappointing knowing how particular Jien and I are about food.

Still, we went because “never try never know” right?

We did a stall-hop kind of excursion, starting with the pork noodles stall and worked our way around the food market. Alas, the in-laws were right. The noodles were disappointing – both the soup and dry version. No pork richness in the broth and hardly any enticing aroma as you dig into the noodles.

I prefer the broth for the dry pork noodles

Dry pork noodles, looking rather pale

Soup pork noodles

I reckon the dry version is better because the broth is thicker without any flavour alteration from the noodles but it was still a below average bowl of pork noodles. You will need a lot of soy sauce and chopped cili padi to accentuate the flavour.

Char kuay teow

Hian Kee Char Kuay Teow looks to be a popular option with the crowd so we ordered a plate to try. It was nothing to shout about and if I may say so, rather forgettable. While the kuay teow had a decent amount of char, it didn’t have enough flavour overall. There was also too much beansprouts in the mix so that took away some attention from the noodles.

The curry laksa from Choo Choo Hainanese Stall was the best tasting among the noodles we had at ICC Pudu. That being said, it wasn’t particularly memorable either. This comes with chicken pieces, long beans, cockles and tofu puffs with your choice of noodles. I’d order this over the rest if I ever have to eat here again.

If you’re coming into the food market from the staircase, there’s this stall selling steamed buns and dumplings right in front. Order the yellow wine chicken pau – that’s quite tasty. We tried it at the market and ordered another box to take home.

*You can also head straight on for the famous Ah Weng Koh Hainan Tea, right outside the food centre.

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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Skip the pork noodles at all cost. Try the pan-fried buns.

Imbi Market, ICC Pudu
Jalan Kijang, Pudu,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 6am till 2pm
(closed Monday)

My mother in-law has been raving about the steamed chicken and kai si hor fun from Guang Ji Ho Fun & Chicken Rice at Jalan San Peng so much so she sounded like a broken record. Seeing how often she sang praises about this place, Jien and I decided to check it out recently.

Late afternoon crowd

We arrived pretty late in the afternoon (circa 2.30pm) so most of the steamed and roasted chicken were gone. Fortunately, there was enough left for me to place my order. I ordered half a steamed chicken (RM28) and half a roasted chicken (RM28) for comparison. We also snapped up a portion of char siew (RM22), good for 4 pax or more.

Chilli sauce

Braised pork and tofu

My father in-law ordered a plate of braised pork with tofu because according to him, they make it really well. This stall has been around for quite some time – I remember seeing it often when I ate at the chapati stall next door. It was perpetually crowded, which is also why I never tried it back then.

Kai Si Hor Fun

Since my mother in-law sang high praises about the kai si hor fun (in her words, it’s better than even the ones from Ipoh), I skipped the rice and opted for a bowl of kai si hor fun (RM7) instead. Jien ordered a bowl of plain hor fun to go with his chicken.

The kai si hor fun is quite good but claiming that it’s better than the ones from Ipoh is an overstatement since the hor fun from Ipoh is silkier and the beansprouts there are far superior. This one from San Peng has a sweet and flavourful broth with specks of burnt orange oil that I presume, comes from prawn oil.

If you’re looking for something more basic, get the plain hor fun soup (RM5) which has no chicken or prawns inside. You also get a bit of prawn oil on top, though not as much as what you’d get when you order kai si hor fun.

Char Siew

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The char siew is delicious – a good balance of fat and meat with a nice caramelised char around the edges. I’d say this is one of the best char siew options I’ve encountered from a chicken rice stall. The braised pork with tofu is also worth a mention as both the pork and tofu are well flavoured from the braising and the gravy has a good balance of savoury, sweet and spices.

Steamed chicken

As for the chicken, I feel it’s decent but certainly not the best there is around. I feel my MIL overhyped this as I was expecting a spectacular plate of steamed chicken in a light yet flavour-packed gravy. But San Peng’s steamed chicken was just moderately tender and the gravy was sodium heavy.

Roast chicken

The roasted chicken isn’t as tasty as the steamed chicken, so I suggest you order the steamed chicken if you’re planning to eat here. For some reason, the roasted chicken flesh is coarser and drier – definitely not as enjoyable as I expected it to be. Again, the gravy is quite salty so if you’re adverse to sodium, this might not be your plate of chicken.

Overall, I like the char siew, kai si hor fun and braised pork but find the steamed chicken just slightly above average.

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Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Try the char siew, kai si hor fun and braised pork. The steamed chicken is not bad but definitely not the best around.

Guang Ji Ho Fun & Chicken Rice
Jalan San Peng, Pudu,
55200 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 7.30am till 4pm