Great steamed fish and emperor pork bone soup at PJ's Section 17

PETALING JAYA, April 14 — Sure, it's exciting when you're at some hyped-up cafe eating something everyone is talking about. It feeds the Instagram.

But does it really satisfy?

At Da Shi Xiong — a stall in a coffeeshop — Yong Teik Keong serves simple fare. Think steamed fish, eggs, beancurd and vegetables. Add a bowl of the peppery emperor pork bone soup and you have comfort food at its best!

Back in 2017, Yong operated two stalls in the same location. During the day, he would serve the pork bone soup at his stall and when night falls, he rents the whole coffeeshop to offer a no-frills dinner menu.

Yong Teik Keong runs Restoran Da Shi Xiong where he serves a no-frills dinner menu.

This arrangement went askew when he couldn't find any local workers to help out during the day.

Tired from running the business solo, he moved his soup offering to dinner time. It also made perfect sense.

The comforting milky white broth with pork ribs, pork belly and pig's stomach complemented the home cooked flavours of the other dishes.

When it comes to cooking, the simplest things are often the hardest to get right. Yong relies on the freshest ingredients available; like his selection of fish.

Calling all eggplant lovers! You won't be able to stop eating this dreamy steamed eggplant (left). Steamed lady's fingers are given a flavour oomph with a topping of Yong's fried shallots (right).

The stall only serves seven star grouper (chat sing pan), dragon grouper (loong fu pan), tilapia and river catfish (pak su kong). If any of the fish is not up to mark, you won't find it served that day.

Most people rely on their suppliers to deliver the fish. Yong takes the trouble to go to the suppliers to select the freshest for his stall.

The fish is sourced from various spots. For instance, he goes as far as the Jinjang market for the tilapia and catfish. The loong fu pan is brought in from Pulau Ketam while the chat sing pan is from Kuala Selangor.

Growl! The steamed seven star grouper may not be Instagram-worthy but the fish is sweet tasting and absolutely delicious with chopped Bentong ginger and their special sauce made from light soy sauce and Chinese rice wine.


Wobbly steamed egg that you'll finish in a heartbeat, thanks to the use of fresh AAA grade eggs.

It makes a difference. The chat sing pan has a sweet taste and firm flesh. Elevating its tastiness is Yong's special sauce — a combination of light soy sauce and Chinese rice wine — in a secret ratio only known to him.

Giving it extra oomph is an abundance of fragrant Bentong fresh ginger. Chopped bird's-eye chillies give it a spicy touch. Relish the fresh fish with soy sauce together with rice... sublime!

A must-order is the soup of course. Peppery. Sweet. MSG-free. We guarantee empty bowls. The emperor bone refers to the long pork rib with its tender meat, that you have to use your fingers to enjoy.

Yong will cut the whole fish upon your order.


There's only four types of fish available which Yong personally selects to ensure they are fresh.

Or if you prefer, there's tender pork belly or pig's stomach. Yong prepares the rich, creamy broth by slowly simmering it for at least eight hours using large pork bones. Special white peppercorns give it a slight heat to warm the tummy. Perfect for chilly rainy nights!

Greens are a choice of steamed lady's fingers or blanched vegetables like Hong Kong choy sum and lettuce (poh lei sang choy). It is served with Yong's own-made shallot oil.

We will let you in on a secret: order the steamed eggplant. Yong only agrees to serve this when he has the time. It takes up to 15 minutes to cook it but believe us, it's worth it. You will score dreamy soft flesh delicately flavoured with the fried shallots.

The emperor bone soup can be a satisfying meal for a solo eater too with its pork belly, pork ribs and pig's stomach.


A drizzle of light soy sauce adds flavour to the steamed egg.

Oh, don't forget the steamed egg. It's a thing of perfection. Smooth as a baby's bottom (as the saying goes!) with a slight wobble. This is thanks to the use of fresh AAA grade eggs, chilled in the refrigerator.

Again, tried and tested ratios play a big part here as Yong combines just the right amount of water with beaten egg. He also offers steamed beancurd too.

Yong times the steaming to ensure the fish is perfectly cooked.

Fans come from as far as Bangsar and Hartamas for his food. We spy people bringing expensive whisky to complement their meal. It's BYO here with no corkage charge.

The gourmets even ask for their food to be served course by course! Regulars often call Yong up to order their choice of fish.

Yong also runs another outlet in Kampung Baru Sungai Buloh, which is open for lunch and dinner. They serve the same menu except the soup doesn't come with the emperor bone. You can also score Thai food there, which his assistant used to cook at a previous place.

Some of their patrons will even bring their own drinks to pair with the food.


Look for this coffeeshop which is slightly away from the Section 17 square.

Restoran Da Shi Xiong is located at Kedai Kopi Yun Kei, No.923, Jalan 17/38, Section 17, Petaling Jaya; and Lot 4126, Jalan Perkhidmatan, Kampung Baru Sungai Buloh, Section U19, Shah Alam. Tel: 014-9266629. Open: 11am to 3pm (Sg Buloh), 5pm to 9pm (PJ) or 10pm (Sg Buloh). Closed on Mondays.