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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mama Lek: Underrated award-winning Thai restaurant for Muslim-friendly Isaan-style beef noodles with tender cuts & spicy broth
When I think of Wisma Cosway, I usually picture an almost-forgotten mall living in the shadow of Pavilion KL next door. But during a visit to Mama Lek — one of the still-operating eateries in the premises — I was immediately humbled. The place was buzzing with office workers, and the queue was so long my colleague and I had to leave for 2 hours before coming back. I'd never even heard of Mama Lek before, and neither had my friends. But it turns out the Thai beef noodle spot is no hidden amateur. It recently bagged the Thai SELECT Award from Thailand's Ministry of Commerce for the second year in a row. That's a big deal, meaning the flavours are as authentic as it gets. Best of all, it's Muslim-friendly! Not trying it would be like rejecting a glass of water in the middle of the dry desert. What I tried at Mama Lek As a first-timer at Mama Lek, I'll admit I approached the menu with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for buffet lines. One glance and I wanted a little bit of everything, so I went all in with the Signature Beef Mix (RM33.50) — their classic Thai beef noodles, lavishly loaded with all the trimmings. The bowl, far more imposing in person than in the photos, arrived filled with Sen Lek — thin, flat rice noodles — and an impressive parade of beef. But before even twirling my chopsticks, I had to taste the broth. Darker than your average beef soup thanks to a medley of Thai spices, it offered a depth of flavour that was clean yet layered, never muddy. In fact, it might just be one of the best beef broths I've encountered. Even my dining companion, who usually avoids beef, found herself returning for more sips. The noodles, too, were a pleasant surprise. I often find this type of noodles can lean towards being overly chewy, but here they struck the perfect balance — tender with just enough resistance to make each bite satisfying. Mali's Corner: Trying the 'best char kway teow in town since 1997' — 2 different versions! The beef selection was generous — silky tendon, chewy tripe, fresh beef slices, thick slabs of braised beef, and springy beef balls. My personal favourites were the gelatinous, almost luxurious tendon and the fresh slices that were smoky, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth soft. The tripe slices were, unfortunately, too tough for me to enjoy. The braised beef was quite a conflict for me — the fatty portions were delicious, but the thicker cuts less so — though all were impressively free from any gamey aftertaste. The beef balls were unremarkable, but the crispy garlic topping scattered across the bowl was an undeniable scene-stealer. For our second bowl, we ventured into new territory with the Isaan-style Tom Yum Braised Beef & Beef Ball Noodles (RM25.90) paired with glass noodles. Those expecting the familiar tangy, zesty tom yum found in Malaysian Thai restaurants might be caught off guard. This northern variation begins with the same beef broth, then layers in chilli oil and a touch of milk for richness. The beef was just as tender as before, but the chilli oil took charge of the flavour profile, adding a heat that, curiously, reminded me of bottled chilli sauce — likely due to the type of chillies used, as the taste echoed the flakes and oil in the condiment jars supplied on every table. Final thoughts It's easy to see why Mama Lek draws a steady stream of customers for its Thai beef noodle bowls and other hearty offerings. While the prices lean on the higher side, the generous portions more than justify the splurge. Between the two I tried, the signature Thai beef noodle easily stole the spotlight over the tom yum version. I also spotted dry noodles on the menu — and I'm already plotting a return visit to give them a try. Expected damage: RM16.90 – RM33.50 per pax Butter Kaya Kopitiam: Chinatown's must-visit coffee shop for pandan kaya lava toast, buttermilk clam noodles & jumbo rojak rolls The post Mama Lek: Underrated award-winning Thai restaurant for Muslim-friendly Isaan-style beef noodles with tender cuts & spicy broth appeared first on
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
From Isan to KL: Mama Lek is back, bringing their excellent Thai beef noodles from Setapak to Wisma Cosway
KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 27 — A little over two years ago, Malay Mail's Lee Khang Yi wrote about Mama Lek, a small, family-run stall in Setapak that serves excellent Thai beef noodles. The family hails from Kelantan, and Mama Lek herself is originally from the Isan region in northeastern Thailand. It was a humble operation, but the noodles were a hit — 'a home run' for my colleague — and in 2024, Mama Lek was recognised with a Thai Select Award by the Malaysian office of Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP). They announced plans to relocate in October last year, and earlier this week, Mama Lek debuted as a full-fledged restaurant on the ground floor of Wisma Cosway. Here, they face stiff competition from the many eateries offering affordable, hulking portions (like a chicken chop for RM8) to the hordes of office workers pouring through the building at lunch hour. It's only been a week, but Mama Lek has already proven to be a hit with the office lunch crowd. — Picture by Ethan Lau But when I visited at half past one on a weekday, Mama Lek was bouncing like a club on Friday night. Thankfully, unlike a club, the wait was much shorter, not even five minutes, and inside, the place smelled far better: eau de boeuf over vapes and bad BO. Aside from the obvious shift in atmosphere (namely air conditioning), there are now a few branding flourishes: printed bowls, messages on the chopstick holders, and a card on 'how to enjoy Thai beef noodles like a Thai,' with instructions for seasoning using the condiment caddy, which includes fish sauce, chilli flakes, chilli oil and chilli vinegar, and for making your own nam jim with the latter two. Not sure what to do with the condiments? The card has you covered. — Picture by Ethan Lau You now order via a QR code, and the options span the gamut: beef ball noodles (RM16.90 for 5 balls), braised beef and balls (RM23.90), fresh beef and balls (RM21.50), beef tripe and tendon (RM25.80), and the signature beef mix (RM33.50) with a little bit of everything: braised beef, fresh sliced beef, tripe, tendon, tongue, and beef balls. There's also a tom yum variation on the beef noodles, and, staying true to their pork-free roots, the only non-beef alternative is chicken noodle soup. Understandably, prices are higher than at the old location, but that's expected when you move into a city-centre building. I settled for the mix, though they had run out of tongue when I visited and made up the difference with other parts of the cow. The broth is every bit as magical as promised: a thick, heavyset, beefcake of a broth, teeming with depth and collagen for a luscious mouthfeel. It gets even better with a touch of fish sauce and chilli vinegar — the beefy flavours are bedded in, and the acidity lifts everything just a bit. Make sure to make your own 'nam jim' with the chilli oil and vinegar. — Picture by Ethan Lau It's perfect for dipping. — Picture by Ethan Lau The thin slices of just-cooked beef are best dipped into a nam jim of chilli oil and vinegar, spicy and savoury with just the right amount of tang. The brisket is impressively tender, and so are the soft and slippery tendons. Magic in a bowl. It's heartening to see a humble family-run stall make the leap into a proper restaurant without losing the soul of what made them great in the first place. The bowls may be branded now, and the air-conditioning much appreciated, but the essence is still the same: rich broth, tender beef, and a mother's love and care in every detail. It can be hard to snap a discreet photo of the front when the family running it is as friendly as they are — Eric, in particular, is very warm and approachable. — Picture by Ethan Lau Mama Lek G-37, Cosway Guesthouse, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur. Open Monday to Satuday, 11am-6pm Tel: 010-988 8995 Facebook: Instagram: * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram for more food gems. * Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
Malay Mail
27-04-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
From Isan to KL: Mama Lek is back, bringing their excellent Thai beef noodles from Setapak to Wisma Cosway
KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 27 — A little over two years ago, Malay Mail's Lee Khang Yi wrote about Mama Lek, a small, family-run stall in Setapak that serves excellent Thai beef noodles. The family hails from Kelantan, and Mama Lek herself is originally from the Isan region in northeastern Thailand. It was a humble operation, but the noodles were a hit — 'a home run' for my colleague — and in 2024, Mama Lek was recognised with a Thai Select Award by the Malaysian office of Thailand's Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP). They announced plans to relocate in October last year, and earlier this week, Mama Lek debuted as a full-fledged restaurant on the ground floor of Wisma Cosway. Here, they face stiff competition from the many eateries offering affordable, hulking portions (like a chicken chop for RM8) to the hordes of office workers pouring through the building at lunch hour. It's only been a week, but Mama Lek has already proven to be a hit with the office lunch crowd. — Picture by Ethan Lau But when I visited at half past one on a weekday, Mama Lek was bouncing like a club on Friday night. Thankfully, unlike a club, the wait was much shorter, not even five minutes, and inside, the place smelled far better: eau de boeuf over vapes and bad BO. Aside from the obvious shift in atmosphere (namely air conditioning), there are now a few branding flourishes: printed bowls, messages on the chopstick holders, and a card on 'how to enjoy Thai beef noodles like a Thai,' with instructions for seasoning using the condiment caddy, which includes fish sauce, chilli flakes, chilli oil and chilli vinegar, and for making your own nam jim with the latter two. Not sure what to do with the condiments? The card has you covered. — Picture by Ethan Lau You now order via a QR code, and the options span the gamut: beef ball noodles (RM16.90 for 5 balls), braised beef and balls (RM23.90), fresh beef and balls (RM21.50), beef tripe and tendon (RM25.80), and the signature beef mix (RM33.50) with a little bit of everything: braised beef, fresh sliced beef, tripe, tendon, tongue, and beef balls. There's also a tom yum variation on the beef noodles, and, staying true to their pork-free roots, the only non-beef alternative is chicken noodle soup. Understandably, prices are higher than at the old location, but that's expected when you move into a city-centre building. I settled for the mix, though they had run out of tongue when I visited and made up the difference with other parts of the cow. The broth is every bit as magical as promised: a thick, heavyset, beefcake of a broth, teeming with depth and collagen for a luscious mouthfeel. It gets even better with a touch of fish sauce and chilli vinegar — the beefy flavours are bedded in, and the acidity lifts everything just a bit. Make sure to make your own 'nam jim' with the chilli oil and vinegar. — Picture by Ethan Lau It's perfect for dipping. — Picture by Ethan Lau The thin slices of just-cooked beef are best dipped into a nam jim of chilli oil and vinegar, spicy and savoury with just the right amount of tang. The brisket is impressively tender, and so are the soft and slippery tendons. Magic in a bowl. It's heartening to see a humble family-run stall make the leap into a proper restaurant without losing the soul of what made them great in the first place. The bowls may be branded now, and the air-conditioning much appreciated, but the essence is still the same: rich broth, tender beef, and a mother's love and care in every detail. It can be hard to snap a discreet photo of the front when the family running it is as friendly as they are — Eric, in particular, is very warm and approachable. — Picture by Ethan Lau Mama Lek G-37, Cosway Guesthouse, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur. Open Monday to Satuday, 11am-6pm Tel: 010-988 8995 Facebook: Mama Lek Instagram: @ * 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.
