PETALING JAYA, April 21 — Wonderfu isn’t a great name for a restaurant. It’s far from the worst, but even if you know that it’s a fairly creative phonetic interpretation of "碗得福” — roughly translating to "bowl of blessings” — it doesn’t tell you much about the restaurant.

Wonderfu opened in February, occupying a ground floor lot next to Table & Apron in Damansara Kim.

Describing itself as an "Asian fusion restaurant”, the menu features a full page’s worth of clay pot rice choices and a variety of noodle dishes including a series of beef broth, "fury” curry and dry noodles.

Is a clay pot a bowl? I’m not sure, but these may hold the blessings in Wonderfu’s name.

The Wonder pork pot rice (RM23) bears a rough resemblance to Taiwanese lu rou fan, featuring a sizeable helping of braised pork, pickled cucumbers and a runny poached egg over a bed of rice.

One portion can feed about two people, and the clay pot arrives at the table hissing and sizzling, promising a nice bit of scorched fan jiu that awaits your discovery at the bottom.

The braised pork isn’t as fatty or as luscious as one might expect, instead, this was a little chunkier, meatier and more savoury than sweet.

The egg adds a luxurious texture to the finish, balanced out by the crunchy and tart cucumber — truly wonderful.

Also from the clay pot section was the Wonder beef pot rice (RM38.80), which included slices of grilled striploin, and a most delightful beef fat crumb.

The layering of aromatics and various fats here is more reminiscent of a classic Hong Kong clay pot rice or bo zai fan, though it might have been better if the scorched portion of the rice was allowed to develop further.

Wonder mix beef broth (RM30) takes many cues from Taiwanese style beef noodles, featuring chunks of beef shank, tendon, a few balls and daikon in a dark and deeply flavourful broth.

Don't let the chilli symbol on the menu alarm you, unless you're particularly sensitive to the mere thought of spice. It's a properly hearty, satisfying bowl of noodles that elicits a sigh of content. A tip: get it with the ramen noodles, as it retains a springy and bouncy texture.

We were far too full for anything else as portions here lean to the larger side, but the BGK chicken (RM12) with black garlic ketchup sounds like a compelling reason to return — and as iffy as I find the name, Wonderfu more than lived up to the moniker.

Wonderfu Restaurant

25, Jalan SS 20/11, Damansara Kim, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-9pm

Tel: 019-490 1539

Facebook: @Wonderfu

Instagram: @wonderfu.restaurant

*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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