I’ve been huge fan of Robert Char Kuay Teow ever since I first tried it in 2007. That was in Say Huat Coffeeshop, Section 17 and it has become my regular char kuay teow spot ever since. rif and I were around the neighbourhood when we saw another Robert Char Kuay Teow stall at Restoran [...]

The post Golden Kim Wah, Damansara Kim appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Chuan Lee Restaurant in Petaling Jaya has a good variety of hawker stalls that operate during the day. Come night time, the place serves “tai chow” dishes, which I have yet to try. rif and I have always been a fan of hawker food and to us, discovering a new hawker spot proves more pleasurable […]

The post Chuan Lee Restaurant, Petaling Jaya appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Ka Bee Café in Weld Quay is said to serve one of the best tom yam noodles in Penang Island, a claim that got me excited and eager to pay them a visit. The shoplot is small and basic, but it is what they offer on the menu that matters – piping hot bowls of […]

The post Ka Bee Cafe, Chew Jetty appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Prawn mee is something I’ve recently grown to love, after continuous persuasion from my good friend who hails from Penang. I initially didn’t get why he enjoyed prawn mee that much but once I tried the best in Penang, I was hooked! The broth is sweet and thick, almost like a prawn bisque but minus the cream.

Loh bak set

In KL, the only place that serves an equivalent to what I had in Penang is Choon Prawn Mee House in Taman Paramount – a place I would go to when the craving hits. Quite a few restaurants serve good prawn mee too, with all the embellishments such as king prawns, pork ribs, pork lard, pork slices, shrimp and innards.

Prawn mee with pork ribs

But what I often crave is a simple bowl of prawn noodles, that stands on its own with or without the extras. And that’s what I get at Choon Prawn Mee House. My regular option is the prawn noodles with pork ribs (RM11), which comes with a sprinkle of deep fried shallots for aroma and flavour. This is sweet and adequately thick so the sambal chilli becomes an option, not a necessity.

Sweet broth

Lam Mee

The lam mee with pork ribs (RM11) is also pretty good, though I’m not a fan of this sticky dish. This tastes even better when you eat it with garlic and chilli, which gives it a nice oomph. That said, I still prefer the prawn mee to this.

Sticky goodness

Since there were three of us at lunch, we ordered the chee cheong fun (RM5), loh bak (RM13) and Nyonya curry fish balls (RM8.50) to share. The loh bak and chee cheong fun were commendable – good enough to satisfy your Penang hawker cravings until you head up north for a good chow down.

Chee cheong fun

I liked the Nyonya curry fish balls as the curry packs a wallop. That said, this didn’t scream “Penang” hawker to me so just treat it as a (yummy) snack. All in, I like coming here for my prawn mee fix as it is the closest thing to the real deal in Penang at the moment.

Nyonya curry fish balls

A note though; I did feel slightly thirsty after the meal so maybe it’s wise to drink every single drop of soup like I did. But then again, what’s the joy of eating prawn mee when you can’t enjoy all the soup, right?

• Like my Facebook Page here and follow me on Instagram here.

Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 7/10 (non halal)
Verdict: A good option for Penang prawn mee in KL.

Choon Prawn Mee House

Choon Prawn Mee House
No.13, Jalan 20/14,
Taman Paramount,
46300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor.
Tel: 012-265 8193
Facebook Page

The post Choon Prawn Mee House, Taman Paramount PJ appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Mention pan mee and one will tend to assume it comes in the form of soup (spicy sometimes) or dry style (dark sauce or with chilli paste). Fried pan mee isn’t very common but rif and I recently tried it for ourselves, at this place called Big Tree Fried Pan Mee, just off Old Klang Road.

A wok-ful of noodles

Playing the waiting game

Fried pan mee

Dark, saucy and full of umami

The stall has been around for quite some time and customers would wait patiently for their plate of pan mee, despite the humid weather. I thought the pan mee was quite good – similar to Hokkien mee but instead of yellow noodles, pan mee is used. This has no alkaline taste or smell, which is a common thing in Hokkien Mee. Texture-wise, I would have preferred the noodles to be springy but this was slightly on the softer side.

Loh Mee

Mushrooms are used to give the noodles a meatier texture

The loh mee is pretty decent here; darker and stronger in flavour. It’s also slightly different compared to the regular loh mee one gets elsewhere; this one comes with slices of black mushroom for a meaty texture. I liked that the stock was flavourful enough to hold its own, so a bit of vinegar was all this dish needed to kick things up a notch.

Fried hokkien mee

Average at best

We also tried the Hokkien Mee which was very average. Unlike the pan mee, this dish was missing “wok hei” and the flavours didn’t seem to bind together quite as nicely. Eating this with sambal chili helps but that’s not quite the point I feel. One good thing though — they are quite generous with pork lard so you’ll get plenty of crunchy bits to go with your noodles.

Fish head noodles

Milky, but lacking tang and savoury notes

Fish head noodles is also available and the preparation for this is quite different from many places I know. It’s milky but minus the tangy-savoury accents you usually get from tomatoes and pickled vegetables. I didn’t care much for this, though I spotted quite a few people ordering it.

All in, I found the food just alright though pricing is reasonable (RM6 per portion). While the pan mee and loh mee were not bad, they weren’t spectacular either. I wouldn’t recommend the fish head noodles and Hokkien Mee as you can get better ones here and here.

• Like my Facebook Page here and follow me on Instagram here.

Ambiance: 4.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 5.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Apart from the pan mee and loh mee, the others failed to impress.

Big Tree Fried Pan Mee
Jalan Sepadu, Taman United,
Seputeh 58200 Kuala Lumpur.
GPS Coordinates: N 3 05.054, E 101 40.461
Business hours: 5.30p.m to 11p.m
(Closed Thursdays)

The post Big Tree Fried Pan Mee, Old Klang Road appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

There are times when simple food makes a big difference – like a plate of fried rice with sunny side up. Fuss-free but hits the spot. Uncle Soon Fried Rice in SS15 Subang Jaya serves a pretty decent version and is said to command a long queue during lunch hour on weekdays.

Aunty Soon, manning the wok

I went there over the long weekend and didn’t have to wait too long for my portion of char siew fried rice. The stall is manned by Uncle and Aunty Soon (I presume), while their two maids help with taking orders, distributing the food and collecting money.

Big plate vs small plate

According to Jien, the aunty makes slightly better fried rice but I didn’t try the uncle’s version so I’m unable to compare. The fried rice was quite good – with enough wok hei and crisp rice bits for texture. I like the rice texture as it wasn’t cooked too hard and the centre remained soft, not mushy.

Sambal chili

The accompanying sambal chili packed quite a punch and really gave the fried rice an added kick. If you can’t handle that much heat, best to skip this though I think you’re missing out! Don’t forget to ask for a sunny side up on top while you’re at it.

Sunny side up is always a good idea!

I spotted a few customers going for TWO fried eggs, which seemed a bit indulgent but little treats like this make life a whole lot better. I’m going to try that when I visit Uncle Soon Fried Rice next. A plate of fried rice with egg costs RM7 or 8, depending on ingredients and number of eggs you want.

Claypot bak kut teh with yee mee

There’s also a stall inside the same coffeeshop (Restoran Foh Foh Subang Jaya) that serves bak kut teh with noodles. I thought the yee mee with bak kut teh soup tasted alright as the soup is thick and tasty enough to buffer any bak kut teh cravings one might have. That said, it is still nowhere close to the real deal in Klang.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: One of the better fried rice I’ve eaten. Simply but tasty.

Uncle Soon Fried Rice
(inside Restoran Foh Foh in Subang Jaya)
No. 95, Jalan SS 15/4b,
SS15, 47500 Subang Jaya.
Tel: 010-253 7525, 010-204 0069
Business hours:
Monday till Friday: 10am to 3pm, 5pm to 8.30pm
Saturday till Sunday: 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 8.30pm
Facebook Page

The post Uncle Soon Fried Rice, SS15 Subang Jaya appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Pan mee or mee hoon kueh when done right, is comfort food for me. There’s something satisfying about this humble bowl of handmade noodles, served with sweet ikan bilis broth and pork slivers. My teammate told me about the pan mee at Kah Ping in Jalan Gelugor – said to be the best pan mee Klang has to offer.

Coming from someone who’s willing to drive from Puchong to Klang for her noodle fix, I had to try this for myself. She sent me the location map a couple of weeks back so Jien and I hopped into the car and relied on waze to get us to that bowl of pan mee in the fastest time.

Hand pinched pan mee (mee hoon kueh) in broth

Noodles were thin, lightly chewy and smooth in texture

The food court can get quite warm given our weather so do dress accordingly if you’re planning to dine there. Pinched noodles are popular, and Kah Ping’s version (RM 6 – large, add egg – RM1) is thin and smooth with a slightly chewy texture. This comes in clear soup, made anchovies and prawns, and served with pork slices, fried anchovies and vegetables.

Loh pan mee

They don’t serve sambal chilli with the pan mee – you only get chopped birds eye chilli with soy sauce, which I didn’t require as the broth was tasty enough. Jien and I also tried Kah Ping’s loh pan mee (RM6 – large) but we didn’t find it impressive. The broth was quite flat tasting so you’ll need to season it with a bit of soy sauce and vinegar.

A mix of steamed and roasted chicken

Apart from Kah Ping’s pan mee, we also tried the steamed and roasted chicken from the stall next door – Nasi Ayam Hiang Kee. While they have a steady stream of customers, I found the chicken (RM23 – whole) to be average. Not something I would brave traffic and distance for but it does make a good accompaniment to the pan mee.

Uncle Eng manning the wok

He treats cooking char kuay teow as his form of exercise

The famous Jalan Batai Char Kuay Teow is also located in this food court, just two stalls from Kah Ping. I was lucky to have Uncle Eng himself fry the char kuay teow for me and I opted for the duck egg version (RM7 – small, RM8 – large). According to Uncle Eng’s son in-law, his daughter does most of the frying but Uncle Eng pops in occasionally as frying char kuay teow is his form of “exercise”.

Char kuay teow with duck egg

I like the char kuay teow better compared to when they were in Damansara Heights. It has more wok hei and Uncle Eng takes his time in frying, making sure each strand of kuay teow is coated with seasoning. I also noticed the char kuay teow is darker compared to their previous version and I personally like it this way.

Skip the Penang pork noodles (RM5 – small) from the stall at the end of the food court. Jien and I ordered it just to try and we weren’t impressed. There wasn’t much sweetness in the broth but they were generous with the lard. I picked out at least five large and crispy chunks of them.

Nothing to shout about

All in, I enjoyed my lunch especially the pan mee. If you’re a fan of pan mee, this is a place to consider as I feel it’s one of the better ones I’ve eaten. For those who are a fan of Jalan Batai char kuay teow, you know where to find Uncle Eng as well.

Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Pan Mee: 7/10 (non-halal)
Chicken: 6/10 (non-halal)
Char Kuay Teow: 6.5/10 (non-halal)
Pork Noodles: 5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: One of the better pan mee I’ve eaten.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Kah Ping Mee Hoon Kueh
No.3, Lot 206, Jalan Gelugor,
Kawasan 17, 41150 Klang.
Business hours: 9am till 4pm

The post Kah Ping Pan Mee, Klang appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

I remember attempting to make pan mee in the UK – skyping with my mum in my room with a bag of flour, egg, water and an empty beer bottle in hand. Yeah, I was too cheap to buy myself a rolling pin haha! They were the worst noodles I’ve eaten in my life and I had to go back to eating frozen pizza, just like all my flatmates that night. That bit of desperation made me realise how much I take pan mee forgranted (drama, I know!) and I’ve ever since, been on a lookout for a good bowl of pan mee.

The man behind the cooking station

Jien makes fun of me now as I never quite pegged myself as a super “Chinese” person but my food preference upon returning from abroad shows otherwise. Imagine my surprise when Jien and I went to Xiu Ye Mao (小夜猫) in Jinjang based on a reader’s tip-off for pan mee, and I see an Indian man behind the cooking station dishing out bowls after bowls of noodles.

Pan mee options

Each bowl is individually cooked to ensure consistency and quality

And next to him are several Chinese helpers rolling out noodles and preparing the ingredients for cooking. That’s not a common sight, and I don’t mean that in a racist way; I’m just impressed. Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee caters to late night eaters or those looking for a bite after a night out – I’m not exactly sure about this so if you can read and write Chinese, do correct me.

Pinched pan mee in clear soup

Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee offers a good variety of handmade noodles (thin, thick or pinched) in a choice of clear soup, dry chili, ma lat, curry and egg gravy (loh mee) broth. We opted for three types of pan mee to share – pinched pan mee in clear soup, thick ma lat pan mee and thick pan mee in a mix of curry and loh mee gravy.

Tasty broth

The pinched noodles were quite good though I prefer the pan mee texture at Kah Ping in Klang. Tastewise, the broth was sweet from the anchovies and pork, and I liked how generous they were with the fried anchovies and minced pork topping. You can opt to eat this with chilli sauce but I think the pan mee is flavourful enough as it is.

Ma lat pan mee

Spicy, but oh-so-good!

I rather enjoyed the ma lat pan mee though the humid weather made it almost impossible for me to drink every drop of the broth. The noodles were smooth and chewy enough, and the spicy broth was thick yet not overwhelmingly spicy. You get a nice balance of sweet, savoury and spicy notes in each spoonful. I would prefer my noodles to be chewier (less cooked) though, so there’s more spring in each bite.

Curry loh pan mee

I spotted a few people eating a creamy looking pan mee dish and upon inquiring, I was told it was pan mee with a mix of curry and loh mee broth. This combo worked well, much to my surprise. You get that rich and thick texture from the egg broth and a good kick from the curry. For those who want more “oomph”, there’s a bottle of sambal chilli on each table to add the spiciness.

Rich, creamy consistency

For the sake of research (mostly because I’m greedy), I ordered a pack of curry pan mee to takeaway. While the noodles were soggy by the time I got to it at night, I liked the curry broth. It was well balanced and aromatic, though I wouldn’t recommend going for the thin noodles as that gets soft faster.

Sugar cane

Our bill including two drinks and the takeaway pan mee came up to RM28. If I’m not mistaken, a small bowl costs RM6 onwards which is reasonable considering the portion. This place is no-frills (my favourite kind of food hunt) so be prepared to sweat, especially if you’re going for the ma lat version. But trust me, it’s worth it.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 7/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Try the ma lat pan mee and curry loh pan mee.

Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee (小夜猫)
2042, Jalan Jinjang Aman 2,
Jinjang Utara,
52000 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 1pm till 4am
Facebook

The post Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee (小夜猫), Jinjang appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Thong Kee Coffee Shop in Seapark PJ has plenty to offer in terms of variety – this kopitiam that originated from Bentong serves good toasts and coffee/tea, which complements the other offerings from the stalls available. They are quite busy in the morning so it’s best to get there before 9am if you want your food to arrive quickly.

Iced Coffee

Of the row of stalls, the wantan mee and nasi lemak seems most popular judging from what other tables had. I tried the wantan mee and rather enjoyed it; more than the one from PJ State. Jien and his father however, prefers the latter as the gravy has a bittersweet note which they both like.

Wantan Mee

Springy texture

The wantan is pretty good too

The one at Thong Kee has a springier texture and I like the seasoning better as it’s more savoury than sweet. I guess it’s personal preference since I generally like my food savoury. Portion for this is a tad small so a medium (RM8) or large bowl (RM9) is ideal if you ask me. The small one doesn’t quite do for me.

Curry Mee

I saw from some online reviews that the curry mee is good, but I found it rather average. While the broth was thick, it had a grainy texture which I didn’t fancy. This also tasted a tad “powdery”, as though a lot of paste was used in the cooking process. That said, it’s not a bad bowl of curry mee – just an average one.

Ham, Cheese & Egg Croissant

The toasts are as good as the online reviews mentioned. My personal favourite is the ham, cheese and egg croissant (RM7.90), which is simple yet well-prepared. I like how hearty it is, without being too cloying. This goes well with iced coffee (RM2.70) which Thong Kee is known for. Their cham and iced tea is also quite good – thick, aromatic and creamy.

Kaya & Butter Croissant

Hainan Toast with Butter & Kaya

Do try the croissant with kaya and butter (RM4.90) as it’s also one of the popular choices at Thong Kee. This is lighter than the savoury version I had the visit before but it’s also quite good. The basic version of Hainan toast with kaya and butter (RM1.90) is also decent but I would opt for the croissant anytime.

Pork Noodles

I wasn’t impressed with the pork noodles from the stall behind the curry mee stall but since the nasi lemak I wanted to try wasn’t open, I settled for this. The broth was alright but lacking depth and porky flavour, so if you like your noodles light, you probably wouldn’t mind this.

Loh Pan Mee

Better was the loh pan mee (RM7 – small, RM8 – large) which was of good portion and balanced flavour. Jien didn’t like though, for he doesn’t like loh mee in general. Personally, I found this decent but nothing worth raving about. If you happen to be craving loh mee, you can give this a shot.

Overall, I like Thong Kee for the coffee and toast, and the wantan mee. Those are worth coming back for. I will need to pay them another visit soon so I can try the nasi lemak – that’s now on top of my to-eat-list!

Ambiance: 6/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Try the wantan mee, toast bread and coffee.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Thong Kee Cafe
No.33, Jalan 21/1,
Sea Park,
46300 Petaling Jaya.
Facebook Page

The post Thong Kee Cafe, Sea Park appeared first on Bangsar Babe.

Mention pan mee and one will tend to assume it comes in the form of soup (spicy sometimes) or dry style (dark sauce or with chilli paste). Fried pan mee isn’t very common but rif and I recently tried it for ourselves, at this place called Big Tree Fried Pan Mee, just off Old Klang Road.

A wok-ful of noodles

Playing the waiting game

Fried pan mee

Dark, saucy and full of umami

The stall has been around for quite some time and customers would wait patiently for their plate of pan mee, despite the humid weather. I thought the pan mee was quite good – similar to Hokkien mee but instead of yellow noodles, pan mee is used. This has no alkaline taste or smell, which is a common thing in Hokkien Mee. Texture-wise, I would have preferred the noodles to be springy but this was slightly on the softer side.

Loh Mee

Mushrooms are used to give the noodles a meatier texture

The loh mee is pretty decent here; darker and stronger in flavour. It’s also slightly different compared to the regular loh mee one gets elsewhere; this one comes with slices of black mushroom for a meaty texture. I liked that the stock was flavourful enough to hold its own, so a bit of vinegar was all this dish needed to kick things up a notch.

Fried hokkien mee

Average at best

We also tried the Hokkien Mee which was very average. Unlike the pan mee, this dish was missing “wok hei” and the flavours didn’t seem to bind together quite as nicely. Eating this with sambal chili helps but that’s not quite the point I feel. One good thing though — they are quite generous with pork lard so you’ll get plenty of crunchy bits to go with your noodles.

Fish head noodles

Milky, but lacking tang and savoury notes

Fish head noodles is also available and the preparation for this is quite different from many places I know. It’s milky but minus the tangy-savoury accents you usually get from tomatoes and pickled vegetables. I didn’t care much for this, though I spotted quite a few people ordering it.

All in, I found the food just alright though pricing is reasonable (RM6 per portion). While the pan mee and loh mee were not bad, they weren’t spectacular either. I wouldn’t recommend the fish head noodles and Hokkien Mee as you can get better ones here and here.

• Like my Facebook Page here and follow me on Instagram here.

Ambiance: 4.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 5.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Apart from the pan mee and loh mee, the others failed to impress.

Big Tree Fried Pan Mee
Jalan Sepadu, Taman United,
Seputeh 58200 Kuala Lumpur.
GPS Coordinates: N 3 05.054, E 101 40.461
Business hours: 5.30p.m to 11p.m
(Closed Thursdays)

There are times when simple food makes a big difference – like a plate of fried rice with sunny side up. Fuss-free but hits the spot. Uncle Soon Fried Rice in SS15 Subang Jaya serves a pretty decent version and is said to command a long queue during lunch hour on weekdays.

Aunty Soon, manning the wok

I went there over the long weekend and didn’t have to wait too long for my portion of char siew fried rice. The stall is manned by Uncle and Aunty Soon (I presume), while their two maids help with taking orders, distributing the food and collecting money.

Big plate vs small plate

According to Jien, the aunty makes slightly better fried rice but I didn’t try the uncle’s version so I’m unable to compare. The fried rice was quite good – with enough wok hei and crisp rice bits for texture. I like the rice texture as it wasn’t cooked too hard and the centre remained soft, not mushy.

Sambal chili

The accompanying sambal chili packed quite a punch and really gave the fried rice an added kick. If you can’t handle that much heat, best to skip this though I think you’re missing out! Don’t forget to ask for a sunny side up on top while you’re at it.

Sunny side up is always a good idea!

I spotted a few customers going for TWO fried eggs, which seemed a bit indulgent but little treats like this make life a whole lot better. I’m going to try that when I visit Uncle Soon Fried Rice next. ;) A plate of fried rice with egg costs RM7 or 8, depending on ingredients and number of eggs you want.

Claypot bak kut teh with yee mee

There’s also a stall inside the same coffeeshop (Restoran Foh Foh Subang Jaya) that serves bak kut teh with noodles. I thought the yee mee with bak kut teh soup tasted alright as the soup is thick and tasty enough to buffer any bak kut teh cravings one might have. That said, it is still nowhere close to the real deal in Klang.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 6.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: One of the better fried rice I’ve eaten. Simply but tasty.

Uncle Soon Fried Rice
(inside Restoran Foh Foh in Subang Jaya)
No. 95, Jalan SS 15/4b,
SS15, 47500 Subang Jaya.
Tel: 010-253 7525, 010-204 0069
Business hours:
Monday till Friday: 10am to 3pm, 5pm to 8.30pm
Saturday till Sunday: 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 8.30pm
Facebook Page

Pan mee or mee hoon kueh when done right, is comfort food for me. There’s something satisfying about this humble bowl of handmade noodles, served with sweet ikan bilis broth and pork slivers. My teammate told me about the pan mee at Kah Ping in Jalan Gelugor – said to be the best pan mee Klang has to offer.

Coming from someone who’s willing to drive from Puchong to Klang for her noodle fix, I had to try this for myself. She sent me the location map a couple of weeks back so Jien and I hopped into the car and relied on waze to get us to that bowl of pan mee in the fastest time.

Hand pinched pan mee (mee hoon kueh) in broth

Noodles were thin, lightly chewy and smooth in texture

The food court can get quite warm given our weather so do dress accordingly if you’re planning to dine there. Pinched noodles are popular, and Kah Ping’s version (RM 6 – large, add egg – RM1) is thin and smooth with a slightly chewy texture. This comes in clear soup, made anchovies and prawns, and served with pork slices, fried anchovies and vegetables.

Loh pan mee

They don’t serve sambal chilli with the pan mee – you only get chopped birds eye chilli with soy sauce, which I didn’t require as the broth was tasty enough. Jien and I also tried Kah Ping’s loh pan mee (RM6 – large) but we didn’t find it impressive. The broth was quite flat tasting so you’ll need to season it with a bit of soy sauce and vinegar.

A mix of steamed and roasted chicken

Apart from Kah Ping’s pan mee, we also tried the steamed and roasted chicken from the stall next door – Nasi Ayam Hiang Kee. While they have a steady stream of customers, I found the chicken (RM23 – whole) to be average. Not something I would brave traffic and distance for but it does make a good accompaniment to the pan mee.

Uncle Eng manning the wok

He treats cooking char kuay teow as his form of exercise

The famous Jalan Batai Char Kuay Teow is also located in this food court, just two stalls from Kah Ping. I was lucky to have Uncle Eng himself fry the char kuay teow for me and I opted for the duck egg version (RM7 – small, RM8 – large). According to Uncle Eng’s son in-law, his daughter does most of the frying but Uncle Eng pops in occasionally as frying char kuay teow is his form of “exercise”.

Char kuay teow with duck egg

I like the char kuay teow better compared to when they were in Damansara Heights. It has more wok hei and Uncle Eng takes his time in frying, making sure each strand of kuay teow is coated with seasoning. I also noticed the char kuay teow is darker compared to their previous version and I personally like it this way.

Skip the Penang pork noodles (RM5 – small) from the stall at the end of the food court. Jien and I ordered it just to try and we weren’t impressed. There wasn’t much sweetness in the broth but they were generous with the lard. I picked out at least five large and crispy chunks of them.

Nothing to shout about

All in, I enjoyed my lunch especially the pan mee. If you’re a fan of pan mee, this is a place to consider as I feel it’s one of the better ones I’ve eaten. For those who are a fan of Jalan Batai char kuay teow, you know where to find Uncle Eng as well. ;)

Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Pan Mee: 7/10 (non-halal)
Chicken: 6/10 (non-halal)
Char Kuay Teow: 6.5/10 (non-halal)
Pork Noodles: 5/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: One of the better pan mee I’ve eaten.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Kah Ping Mee Hoon Kueh
No.3, Lot 206, Jalan Gelugor,
Kawasan 17, 41150 Klang.
Business hours: 9am till 4pm

I remember attempting to make pan mee in the UK – skyping with my mum in my room with a bag of flour, egg, water and an empty beer bottle in hand. Yeah, I was too cheap to buy myself a rolling pin haha! They were the worst noodles I’ve eaten in my life and I had to go back to eating frozen pizza, just like all my flatmates that night. That bit of desperation made me realise how much I take pan mee forgranted (drama, I know!) and I’ve ever since, been on a lookout for a good bowl of pan mee.

The man behind the cooking station

Jien makes fun of me now as I never quite pegged myself as a super “Chinese” person but my food preference upon returning from abroad shows otherwise. Imagine my surprise when Jien and I went to Xiu Ye Mao (小夜猫) in Jinjang based on a reader’s tip-off for pan mee, and I see an Indian man behind the cooking station dishing out bowls after bowls of noodles.

Pan mee options

Each bowl is individually cooked to ensure consistency and quality

And next to him are several Chinese helpers rolling out noodles and preparing the ingredients for cooking. That’s not a common sight, and I don’t mean that in a racist way; I’m just impressed. Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee caters to late night eaters or those looking for a bite after a night out – I’m not exactly sure about this so if you can read and write Chinese, do correct me.

Pinched pan mee in clear soup

Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee offers a good variety of handmade noodles (thin, thick or pinched) in a choice of clear soup, dry chili, ma lat, curry and egg gravy (loh mee) broth. We opted for three types of pan mee to share – pinched pan mee in clear soup, thick ma lat pan mee and thick pan mee in a mix of curry and loh mee gravy.

Tasty broth

The pinched noodles were quite good though I prefer the pan mee texture at Kah Ping in Klang. Tastewise, the broth was sweet from the anchovies and pork, and I liked how generous they were with the fried anchovies and minced pork topping. You can opt to eat this with chilli sauce but I think the pan mee is flavourful enough as it is.

Ma lat pan mee

Spicy, but oh-so-good!

I rather enjoyed the ma lat pan mee though the humid weather made it almost impossible for me to drink every drop of the broth. The noodles were smooth and chewy enough, and the spicy broth was thick yet not overwhelmingly spicy. You get a nice balance of sweet, savoury and spicy notes in each spoonful. I would prefer my noodles to be chewier (less cooked) though, so there’s more spring in each bite.

Curry loh pan mee

I spotted a few people eating a creamy looking pan mee dish and upon inquiring, I was told it was pan mee with a mix of curry and loh mee broth. This combo worked well, much to my surprise. You get that rich and thick texture from the egg broth and a good kick from the curry. For those who want more “oomph”, there’s a bottle of sambal chilli on each table to add the spiciness.

Rich, creamy consistency

For the sake of research (mostly because I’m greedy), I ordered a pack of curry pan mee to takeaway. While the noodles were soggy by the time I got to it at night, I liked the curry broth. It was well balanced and aromatic, though I wouldn’t recommend going for the thin noodles as that gets soft faster.

Sugar cane

Our bill including two drinks and the takeaway pan mee came up to RM28. If I’m not mistaken, a small bowl costs RM6 onwards which is reasonable considering the portion. This place is no-frills (my favourite kind of food hunt) so be prepared to sweat, especially if you’re going for the ma lat version. But trust me, it’s worth it. ;)

Bangsar Babe on Facebook  Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 7/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: Try the ma lat pan mee and curry loh pan mee.

Xiu Ye Mao Pan Mee (小夜猫)
2042, Jalan Jinjang Aman 2,
Jinjang Utara,
52000 Kuala Lumpur.
Business hours: 1pm till 4am
Facebook