PETALING JAYA, Dec 10 — Inside the no-frills food court in PJ Section 14, you can find cheap and cheerful eats like laksa Siam, cheese naan, satay and Taiwanese beef noodles

On a busy weekday, the place is buzzing with office workers who crossed the pedestrian bridge from nearby buildings to grab midday sustenance without hurting their wallets.

Most of the stalls have stood the test of time like Gerai Lum Kee that opened in 1970 or Gerai Nora Sate Kajang where you can see the family prepping the sticks with the marinated meat. 

A recent addition is Chacha Naan & Biryani that many gravitate to for fluffy, cheesy naan served with tandoori chicken. 

The latest find is another old timer known as Zui Niu, operated by a couple quietly ladling out bowls of Taiwanese beef noodles. 

Each bowl carries a warmth that spreads over you as you slurp down the smooth noodles with a slight bite. Bite down on tender pieces of meat in between spoonfuls of the beef broth that took many hours to cook. 

This bowl of noodles tastes like it is cooked at home, as the lady owner is from Taiwan while her husband is a retiree who once worked in the film industry. 

You will notice that the colour of the broth isn’t as dark as other places, as it carries a subtle beef flavour yet one can taste the lingering spices in every spoonful. 

Without the spiciness that usually clouds the bovine flavour, this broth becomes light, refreshing and a pleasure to drink down to the last drop. 

Even the beef brisket has an almost buttery bite from all the long cooking. 

For those who like a fiery bowl, there’s their homemade chilli sauce on the side, which can be added to ramp up the spiciness. 

A small bowl is RM11 while a big portion is RM13. There’s also a dry version but the soup version is definitely the better choice with that fortifying broth. 

The menu also includes chicken chop served with rice (RM10), a popular choice for the younger crowd. 

Lightly battered, the chicken is tender and given a boost of black pepper sauce or a Thai sauce. 

Little touches matter here as they’ll add a spoonful of slow cooked brown onions over the soft rice, giving it a sweet-savoury flavour. 

Don’t miss out on their homemade dumplings too, served boiled or fried for RM7.50. 

The skin may be slightly thick but the dumpling is jam packed with chicken meat. 

As you bite into the dumpling, you will be surprised with a small piece of cheese inside the filling that isn’t oozing but gives a hit of saltiness. 

Apparently it’s to bait younger diners who will appreciate the unusual touches to an ordinary food item, evoking childhood memories. 

Zui Niu Taiwanese Beef Noodles

Lot MR9, Medan Selera Section 14

Jalan 14/24, 

Section 14, Petaling Jaya

Open: 11.30am to 6.30pm. Closed on Saturday and Sunday.

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

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