Latest news with #noodles
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Malay Mail
The story behind a simple bowl of noodles at PJ SS3's Restoran 33
PETALING JAYA, June 2 — Throughout my years of writing about food, I have come to realise it really goes beyond just the taste of the food. Behind each bowl or dish that we're served, there's always a story, whether it's happy or sad, as it represents someone's life story. Like this bowl of noodles — blanketed with nuggets of minced pork — served with a bowl of clear broth, fish balls and pork balls. It looks ordinary. In fact, it's probably too simple, making me wonder if anyone would make a beeline to this stall to eat this, but somehow it's become a bowl of noodles I really don't mind driving back to my old neighbourhood to relish again. In this crazy world where outlandish meals like overflowing bowls of curry mee jam packed with all kinds of ingredients go viral for its abundance rather than the taste of the curry, where does this bowl of noodles stand? It took me sometime to figure out which stall served the noodles so use this as a reference point. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi For this stall owner, a woman known as Chew, it's her heritage, passed down from her parents who operated this stall about 50 years ago. Back in the old days, this stall offered beef noodles with a minced meat topping. It came with beef broth, where handmade beef tendon balls, soft tendons and tender beef accompanied the noodles. Sadly, that skill for making those beef tendon balls was lost after the older generation passed away. When the mad cow disease struck, the stall pivoted to cleverly tweak their recipe, serving pork with a similar seasoning as the topping and using chicken broth paired with commercially sourced fish balls and pork balls. Each bowl is accompanied by this light broth (left) with fish balls and pork balls and the all-important homemade chilli sauce (right) with calamansi lime juice. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Once operated by Chew and her sister, she is now on her own as her sibling has decided to hang up her apron. She gallantly continues business in the morning at this coffee shop in PJ SS3. I must admit I didn't even know of this stall's existence despite residing in SS3 as a child, until I read about it on social media. Don't knock her food despite its minimalist look. My small bowl (RM8) with loh shue fun and those minced pork bites was demolished in no time; the empty bowl a sign of supreme satisfaction. Chew spends time to drive flavour into her minced pork, slowly cooking it in a sauce until it's a dark brown and tender. 'Sang mee' is the preferred choice for noodles with the regulars. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Try it with sang mee or egg noodles, a crowd favourite, as those al dente strands are a perfect pairing with the topping. Drizzle that deep red homemade chilli sauce over your noodles for an added punch. Its mellow spiciness has just a slight zing, thanks to calamansi lime juice versus those who use vinegar for a sharper piquancy. One may think the broth is flavourless judging from its light look but don't be fooled. Previously using beef in their offerings, the stall pivoted to offer pork instead, tweaking the seasoning to suit their customers' tastes. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Brewed from pork bones and chicken carcasses, it's naturally sweetened making it a great pairing with the fish balls and pork balls. These may not be home made but the pork ball isn't overloaded with fillers and has a distinct meaty flavour. Even the two types of fish balls are good with a slight bounce. The big size for the noodles is RM9, which is an upgrade for the noodles of your choice rather than the topping. Out of all the numerous coffee shops that dot this neighbourhood, this place tends to have sparse offerings and was famous for its chap fan for lunch but that stall owner has recently retired. It's right behind the super popular Sin Chew Chicken Rice at Restoran New Pom Pom. This coffee shop was popular for its economy rice stall and is found just behind Restoran New Pom Pom. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Pork Noodle Stall Restoran 33 2, Jalan SS3/35 Taman Universiti, Petaling Jaya Open: 6.30am to 12pm. Closed on Sunday. *This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. **Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
CNA
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
Japan Hour - Gaia Series 89: Upheaval! Eating Out Survival
42:04 Min This week's episode sees Kyushu-based Sukesan Udon launch in Tokyo, blending tradition and strategy to shake up the Japanese capital's noodle scene. About the show: Spring in Japan (Mar - May) Spring season in Japan is characterized not just by the cherry blossoms, seasonal food and traditional and modern festivals and events, but also by the exceptional beauty that engulfs the land, during the time. From flower festivals to fruit picking, lively traditional parades and picnics, there's plenty of seasonal fun, for anyone in Japan, during the spring season!
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle: $6 razor clam noodles & fried side dishes hidden in City Plaza
If you thought that all City Plaza had to offer was in its first 4 levels, you're sorely mistaken. Tucked away in level 5 is a small food court housing Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle, serving up soupy bowls of customisable seafood noodles and freshly fried side dishes daily. Craving crispy prawn fritters, I made my way down to City Plaza this morning – partly to avoid the midday crowd and mainly because I dreamt of fragrant prawns last night. While the food court may be small, there was no shortage of seats. I was also glad to escape Singapore's humid heat in the air-conditioned setting, especially when there were only 2 other diners at 10.30am. Serving up more than 20 years of history, Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle is no stranger to their craft. Their repertoire includes their signature noodles, affordable rice dishes and various 小吃 – side dishes that are bound to fill the gaps in your stomach after the mains. While I had initially journeyed here in search of prawn fritters, there was no way I was going to head home without a bowl of piping hot noodles. After a painstakingly long moment of consulting the extensive menu, I decided on the Abalone Clam Hand Made (S$6) and a plate of 3-in-1 (S$6) fried goods. While I was impressed by the 4 plump razor clams, I was a little miffed by the English translation of the dish. Perhaps due to a faulty app, the 鲍贝 – or razor clam – was translated to 'abalone clam'. So if you're searching for a bowl of abalone noodles, you should probably get the Abalone Home Made Noodle (S$13.50) instead! Now, on to the actual taste of the noodles. The 'handmade' factor of the noodles stood out in the yu mee, or you mian (幼面). The noodles were chewy and soaked up the broth, making them well-seasoned. Without a doughy texture, they paired nicely with the razor clams and made for a comforting bite. The broth itself likely has an anchovy base. Though it doesn't deviate from the seafood flavour profile, I do think that it lacks the subtle sweetness gained from simmering the actual clams, abalone and prawns in the soup. I would have preferred less salt in the broth as well, especially since it does get saltier when the noodles absorb the liquid. Moving on to my beloved prawn fritter. While Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle labels it as the Beansprout Cake (S$2.50), this fried dough boasts a crunchy shelled prawn nestled right on top. Since I bought this as the 3-in-1 set, the plate also came with the Crispy Prawn Cracker (S$2) and Yam Roll (S$2). Ex-Jumbo seafood chef & partners sell JB-style handmade dry noodles & cai fan The outer layer of the batter has been fried to a delicate crisp, giving way to a moist and succulent centre. Biting into a piece brings out the light fragrance of beansprouts, which is enhanced by the prawn's meatiness and crunch. The batter is perfectly seasoned, making this my go-to treat from City Plaza. However, try to eat the beansprout cake while hot, since the batter can get a little jelak when cold. For the other components of the 3-in-1 set, the Crispy Prawn Cracker was my next target. It features a brittle network of batter fried in oil, best enjoyed with one of Poon Nah City's sauces. While I loved the crunch from the cracker, I was disappointed that there was no hint of prawn flavour at all. Based on the dish name, I had expected a keropok-style fragrance where prawn paste is directly added to the batter before frying. However, this Crispy Prawn Cracker tasted more like the oil it was fried in than the prawns advertised. It only took on flavour with chilli sauces and akin to a salted crisp rather than keropok. The yam roll, on the other hand, was more appealing. It had slivers of carrot and soft yam seasoned lightly, and I liked the chewiness of the roll. The outer layer of the rolls was also fried to an appetising golden brown, intercepting the yam paste with textured bites. For this, I preferred dipping it in the sweet and garlicky plum sauce. Poon Nah City's chilli is rather spicy, so a little goes a long way. When paired with the yam roll, I found it a bit too strong for my taste. While my hunger was satiated with the portions for each dish, I do think that Poon Nah City's noodles and sides were a little underwhelming. I liked that the noodles were fresh and made-to-order, and the side dishes were cut into bite-sized pieces, but they lacked the flavours that I was expecting. Of course, I'd stop by for a Beansprout Cake if I was passing by. But would I travel here just for the sake of dining at Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle? Probably not. I'm glad I took the time to try their food and scratch my prawn fritter itch, though! Expected damage: $4.50 – $10 per pax Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo 11 best rice dumplings in Singapore to savour this Dragon Boat Festival 2025 The post Poon Nah City Home Made Noodle: $6 razor clam noodles & fried side dishes hidden in City Plaza appeared first on
Malay Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Worth the drive: Selayang's Restoran Yun Yun raises the bar higher with the ultimate seafood noodles
KUALA LUMPUR, May 28 — The food universe is a vast, dangerous place to wander. Most times, it's duds or just simply bad food. Occasionally, it's rather decent and slightly above average spots that pull a crowd, purely because it feeds the surrounding community who doesn't believe in driving far for the ultimate food experiences. And once in a blue moon, you get a place like Restoran Yun Yun, tucked inside an unassuming and for me, never before visited area that serves up generous bowls of seafood noodles, brimming with freshness and spades of flavour. It was truly a eureka moment for me when I stepped into this restaurant below the flats. Nearly everyone around me was slurping down a bowl of seafood noodles, clear soup or curry. There were the odd one or two tucking into fried rice, fried noodles or Nian-Nian, their version of fish head noodles with that distinct milky broth. Seafood Noodles with Fish may look like the plain Jane but the broth laced with Shao Xing wine is also irresistible. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi The logical way, of course, was to try the seafood noodles with clear broth first but instead, I yearned for the curry version. It was the right choice. My bowl of Seafood Curry Mee was glorious. The crux of this bowl was that orange curry broth that I drank every drop of, a testament of how well prepared it was. It's not the type to sting your tongue but you get a gentler spiciness, underpinned by a sweetness purely from the use of a master stock or siong tong boiled with a mix of chicken meat and carcasses. The curry paste is slowly cooked for two hours, using fresh santan, infusing the broth with fragrance. This was indeed a perfect pairing with the bountiful catch crammed in my bowl, like their signature Sabak clams, sea prawns minus that artificial crunch and fish balls. This unassuming restaurant sits at the bottom of flats in Taman Wilayah. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Each bowl is cooked individually and the cooking expertise shows as the thick, white shell cradles plump, juicy molluscs. Even the cockles or see ham are a decent size, unlike those puny specimens usually found in most stalls. Remember to add the sambal from the communal table of condiments, specifically from the plastic bottle with a yellow cover. It's not too spicy but one can definitely taste the dried prawns used, adding more fragrance to your bowl of curry noodles. My small bowl of Seafood Curry Noodles was RM15 while the big portion would have set me back by RM17. There's also a non-seafood version, using shredded chicken and cockles instead. Rice lovers can opt for the Teochew Porridge with Fish, where soft rice grains cooked in their master stock is served with fried Toman fish. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi When I returned to try the clear soup version, it was with apprehension, thinking maybe that version wouldn't be on par with the curry version. I was wrong. It was not only on that same level of greatness but just slightly better than the curry one, depending on one's preferences, as this was sweeter. This round it was the big portion, where my seafood was drowning in that vast white bowl, anchored slightly by my noodles. One spoonful of the broth just sealed the deal... sweetened with the use of top grade Shao Xing rice wine that rounds up that broth to make it super drinkable. Toman or snakehead fish is often avoided as it has many bones but this fried version is boneless with flaky flesh. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi This version of seafood noodles includes slices of toman or snakehead fish. Usually avoided due to its fine, pesky bones, here it's gloriously boneless with flaky flesh, even though this freshwater fish doesn't have much of an oily texture. The Seafood Noodles with Fish is RM18 for the small portion and RM23 for the big one. Variations also include one without the fish, starting from RM12 for the small portion. Or try the Teochew Porridge with Fish (RM13), which I decided to do as a takeaway. The cooked rice is plumped up in that master stock, for a soft texture, and interestingly they add fluffy fried egg to the whole combination. Fried fish is used here, keeping its shape well, even after it's been soaked in the porridge. Asam Laksa can also be ordered here, a tangy not overly spicy version using fresh tuna fish. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi As the lady boss is a Penangite, Asam Laksa (RM8 for small, RM9 for big) appears on the menu with a tangy profile rather than an overwhelming spiciness, using fresh tuna fish. Of course, one can also order side dishes like Fried Fish (RM12), where slices of toman fish are fried, thankfully without that thick batter most places use, allowing you to enjoy the fish on its own. Even though the owners don't make their own fish balls or fish cake, they went through many suppliers until they were satisfied with this supplier, hence the Fried Fish Cake (RM10 for 3 pieces) has a springy bite, which can be paired with sambal belacan. Fried Fish Cake can also be ordered to pair with the noodles. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Apparently the owners operate a seafood distribution company at the nearby Pasar Borong, opening up the opportunity for them to use the best and freshest catch in their cooking here. Seafood purveyors are also sticklers for respecting produce, hence every item they serve here, must be at their peak quality and to showcase it, only the best master stock with premium Shao Xing rice wine will do. As a rule, seafood like the Sabak clams aren't kept overnight, hence any excess stock can also be purchased at the restaurant should supplies be more than anticipated. Occasionally, fresh Sabak clams can also be purchased at the restaurant. — Picture by Lee Khang Yi Restoran Yun Yun, No. 20-0-5, Jalan 13/2, Taman Wilayah, Selayang. Open: 7.30am to 2.30pm. Closed on Monday. Facebook: 圆圆茶餐室 Restoran Yun Yun * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
Malay Mail
20-05-2025
- Malay Mail
Be it soup or fried, fresh seafood galore awaits at Hai Kah Lang in JB Sentosa
JOHOR BARU, May 20 – Many popular restaurants have extended their reach by opening new branches, often within the same city, sometimes across borders in other states. The true test of this business strategy, then, must be whether the same quality can be maintained when a child outlet is over 300 kilometres away from the original shop. Which is to say, when I spotted one of Hai Kah Lang's newest restaurants when I was in Taman Sentosa, Johor Baru, I knew I had to drop by and try the food here. (The aforementioned original shop, Hai Kah Lang Seafood Noodle and Fish Head Noodle, is located in Taman Cheras – also known as Yulek – in KL, closer to home.) Hai Kah Lang JB Sentosa is quite spacious and we were soon seated. There was a mix of families at larger tables and a number of solo diners too, tucking into their bowls of seafood noodles. It can be quite a challenge deciding what to have, given the plethora of options. I went with the Leopard Coral Grouper after checking with our friendly server. She suggested the Leopard Coral Grouper Belly for a fattier mouthfeel but my pick would make for a lighter-tasting meal. Other signature dishes include the Fish Head Milk Soup Noodles and the Mixed Seafood Noodles; the latter available as congee too. Selecting the appropriate type of noodles can be tough for the indecisive: mee, koay teow, lou shi fun, mi xian, wantan mee, mihun and thick mihun. Fried Soft Shell Crab. — Picture by CK Lim I opted for mi xian to go with this, after checking once more with our server for her recommendation. These rice noodles, she reckoned, would go the best with my choice of fish. Those who are eschewing starchy carbohydrates in their diet might be elated to learn that they can enjoy practically all the seafood noodle soups on the menu sans noodles. Perhaps the one dish that benefits the most from a noodle-less approach is their Lala in Tomato Soup. You can have these Venus clams with other soups, of course, but there is something about the reddish-orange broth that is simultaneously healthful and appetising. A match made on land and in the sea: the tangy sweetness of the tomatoes and the briny sweetness of the clams, given a much needed lift by the fresh cilantro leaves. Fried Fish Cake. — Picture by CK Lim This might sound odd but the real surprise of the menu isn't the various fresh seafood and fish noodle soups (which are excellent) but the expansive list of side dishes and snacks. Whilst mostly an afterthought in other restaurants, this section of the menu receives just as much care as the headliners. From oysters and baby octopus, fried Chinese pomfret to fried shrimp dumplings, there is something for everyone, especially if there are little ones at your table. Each of us must have embraced their own inner child for we greedily zoomed in on all the fried goodies. (You can't blame us for being a little naughty with the fried foods when we had been so nice and had clean-tasting soups.) The showstopper here might be the Fried Soft Shell Crab, crunchy on the outside and still moist on the inside. The accompanying blueberry-inspired cream dip was a lovely touch but the fried morsels were good enough on their own. Even basic treats such as the Fried Fish Cake and Fried Beancurd were stunning in their well made, well cooked simplicity. Something you'd not likely find elsewhere is their Fried Prawn Paste Fish Slices where the fresh fish slices are smeared with prawn paste before being battered and deep fried. Each nugget was an umami bomb – good luck snaring the last piece! For refreshments, the simple yet effective Icy Coconut Kopi will quench any thirst whilst giving you a caffeine kick. Lovers of ABC will likely appreciate Hai Kah Lang's take on Cendol. But ultimately the main reason you'd be dropping by will be for the fresh seafood, best enjoyed with your favourite noodles and in a naturally sweet clear soup. In my opinion, Hai Kah Lang JB Sentosa is certainly as good as the main shop, which is a rare feat indeed. Hai Kah Lang JB Sentosa173, Jalan Sutera, Taman Sentosa, Johor BaruOpen daily 8am-9:30pmPhone: 011-1651 9813 * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.* Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.
