Moonlight ‘hor fun' still shines bright at Setapak's 55-year-old Kedai Kopi Makanan Hong Lai, with spicy ‘yee mee' to match
It was also around this time that I was gripped by the foolish notion of a budding football career, and would train or play late into the night in the nearby Melawati area.
My father often came and watched, likely sighing and shaking his head, after which we'd grab supper nearby.
For a kid whose worldview was mostly shaped by suburban PJ, chowing down on late-night grub in neighbourhoods like Wangsa Maju or Taman Melawati, and sometimes Setapak, was an adventure like no other.
One such adventure led me to a cramped shop lot, situated right on the busy thoroughfare of Jalan Genting Kelang.
It was hot, raging hot.
Not a single person inside was spared a sweat stain, and the air was thick with the smell of burning charcoal.
The aroma and heat radiated from the front, where a flaming inferno blazed and crackled beneath blackened, well-worn woks frying up plate after plate of noodles.
I don't remember much, but I can still smell that night in my hair.
The restaurant sits right on the main road. — Picture by Ethan Lau
That shop lot was Kedai Kopi Makanan Hong Lai.
Since 1970, Hong Lai has been dishing out Hokkien mee and other classic fried noodle staples from that same location.
These days, it's run by the second generation of the family, and they've even expanded with a branch in Singapore.
Though most would assume the Hokkien mee (RM12) to be the signature dish, those in the know will have heard tales of Hong Lai's moonlight kuey tiao, or yuet gong hor (RM12).
All noodles on the menu are at the same price: RM12 for small, RM21 for medium and RM31 for a large portion.
Slick and stained a deep, dark brown, the wide, flat strips of kuey teow carry savoury and caramelised flavours, with slightly sweet notes backed by an undercurrent of wok hei.
That distinctly charred, smoky sensation is in full force here.
The fire rages on in the middle of service at Hong Lai. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Some may attribute it to Hong Lai's continued use of charcoal, but I would argue it has more to do with the skill or kung fu of the cook.
These days, the woks are manned by young workers, but the bulge and vascularity of their forearms suggest they know their way around a wok, and have done so for quite some time.
On its own, the char and caramelisation are not what make a good yuet gong hor. It needs the titular moonlight: a single egg, raw and trembling, the yolk plump and glistening like the moon at night.
Stirred into the noodles while they are still steaming, it slowly transforms into a lush, silky glue that binds the dish together, slipping between and clinging onto slices of pork, fish cake and sheets of kuey teow.
A good plate of Hokkien 'mee'. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The same wok hei can be found in abundance in a plate of their Hokkien mee, which ticks all the boxes and leans slightly on the saucy side, though the sauce is thick enough that it never becomes a problem.
It is veritably loaded with lard, so no complaints there.
If I do have one, it is for the sambal. It is neither spicy nor salty enough. It is too sweet.
The noodles are better off on their own, but the experience feels diminished without that spicy-salty kick to balance all the rich, caramelised flavours.
But there is a noodle on the menu that needs no sambal. The spicy yee mee (RM12) is lightly braised, but kept relatively dry, with just enough of the typical egg sauce to coat the noodles.
Don't miss out on trying the spicy 'yee mee'. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The simple addition of fresh cili padi changes everything. Immediately, the stinging pang of the chilli disperses through the noodles, creating a tongue-tingling sensation that leads to second, third and fourth bites.
It is very easy to wolf down without feeling jelak, as we like to say.
It is good to see a business like this carry on. Fifty-five years on, Hong Lai is still right where it started, still frying noodles over charcoal, still feeding hungry people late at night, though not as late as it used to be.
Times have changed, and Hong Lai has changed with them, as any responsible business does.
It may now be run by the second generation, with younger cooks behind the wok and an outpost in Singapore showing our noisy neighbours how we like our Hokkien mee, but it is still very much the way I remembered it.
Kedai Kopi Makanan Hong Lai 蓬萊茶餐室
85, Jalan Genting Kelang,
Taman Ayer Panas, Kuala Lumpur.
Open daily, 5-11.30pm
Tel: 012-659 9109
https://honglaihokkienmee.com/
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
* Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
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