Small stall, bold flavours

The Star

a day ago

The humble Lai Jie Noodle House stall is located along Jalan Burung Tiong in Taman Bukit Maluri, KL.
TUCKED away in a corner in Taman Bukit Maluri, Kuala Lumpur, the modest stall that is Lai Jie Noodle House is easy to miss unless you know where to look.
This humble spot serves up a variety of hearty noodle dishes that capture the essence of Malaysian comfort food.
Customers can expect the likes of pan mee, loh mee, pork noodles, wantan noodles and curry noodles alongside a selection of stir-fried options such as Hokkien mee and Singapore-style meehoon.
Run by Low Bee Li and her husband since 2004, the stall is named after the 60-year-old founder herself, in the Cantonese pronunciation.
Low and her husband Lee Yat Cheong, 66, have been dishing up bowls of noodles for breakfast and early lunch for over two decades.
Their stall is especially popular among morning market traders and regulars from a nearby wet market.
'Some of my regulars' favourites are the curry noodles, Hokkien mee, and fried mee xian,' said Low.
'We open as early as 5.30am, and the peak crowd is usually in the morning when people fill up their bellies before heading off to the market or nearby shops.'
She keeps busy with taking orders and serving, while Lee mans the wok.
Having picked up the trade in his teens, Lee brings decades of experience to each dish.
His cooking does not fall short in delivering the most essential element in Chinese-style noodles – wok hei (breath of the wok).
I have tried the Hokkien mee, and it is a clear standout.
Hokkien mee comes with pork slices, vegetables and lard.
Fried in a dark, sticky soy-based sauce, the smoky, umami-laden noodles come with a generous portion of crispy pork lard that adds texture and depth.
The richness of the dish is further complemented by tender pork slices and leafy greens, making it a delightful plate through and through.
Equally deserving of praise are their wantan noodles.
The noodles are springy and firm, tossed in a balanced soy-based sauce and topped with slices of char siew (barbecued pork).
The wantan noodles are topped with a serving of 'char siew'.
The dish is served with several plump wantan dumplings, offering that comforting accompaniment one expects from a local favourite.
The curry noodles are clearly one of their best-sellers, as they were already sold out when I last visited at noon.
A return visit is certainly warranted. Hopefully next time, I will be early enough to get my hands on a bowl.
Lai Jie Noodle House opens daily from 5.30am to 12.30pm, or until sold out. It is located along the row of stalls in Jalan Burung Tiong, Taman Bukit Maluri.
Be warned that looking for a parking spot here can be tricky.