'Yong tau foo" and Penang 'rojak' headline Segambut Yong Tau Foo

KUALA LUMPUR. March 20 — It's lunch time at Segambut Yong Tau Foo. Every table is heaving with people tucking into their yong tau foo.

There's also at least one plate of fruit rojak on the tables. What's also unusual is the eatery is located inside a house, where tables are placed inside and outside.

It's not my first rodeo here. Previously I came with my friends and it was just as crowded.

Once you get your table, just tick off what you want on the slip of paper and place the order with their wait staff.

You will also find an order chit for the rojak stall which also sells peanuts, sweet potato and popiah. There's also a bakery selling various pastries and buns and a fruit stall. .

Each piece of yong tau foo is RM2. These are chunky bites, stuffed generously with fish paste.

Depending on what you order, some pieces are served with a viscous brown sauce. It's a sauce I feel is rather nondescript in terms of flavour, neither sweet nor a distinct salty flavour.

The fish balls are bouncy bites (left). Fried fish cake is good here too (right).

Fried 'yong tau foo' is served separately to keep it crispy.

I would prefer it to be omitted, making a mental note for my next visit to request for it to be served with soup instead. It's a personal taste as I prefer eating my food "au naturel" rather than with sauces.

Only the bouncy fish balls were served in soup, which is my preferred way.

I had selected my favourites, namely a trinity of lady's finger, bitter gourd and brinjal. The brinjal was the best — melting, creamy-like flesh — paired with fish paste. The bitter gourd is chunky and well cooked till a soft texture. And thankfully, the lady's finger is tender without any trace of wood-like stems.

Paper Wrap Chicken is a retro dish with its marinated chicken cooked in a plastic bag.

There's also a white beancurd with its creamy texture.

The fried items are served separately on a plate, allowing its crispiness to be retained. You get fish paste with shredded carrots stuffed in the fried wantan. The fu chok also has a layer of fish paste rolled inside it.

Other bites you can order include Paper Wrap Chicken and Fish Cake. Both these items are priced at RM7 each.

Penang 'rojak' is a must from Ateng Stall.

Paper Wrap Chicken is an old fashioned dish, harking back to long forgotten days. Previously served in Chinese restaurants, nowadays it only appears in eateries serving yong tau foo.

The chicken is marinated with a sauce with predominantly ginger flavours and wrapped in greaseproof paper to form a parcel, which is subsequently deep fried. This method keeps the chicken juicy and moist as it cooks in that marinade.

Snack on this fruit and vegetables 'rojak' mixed plate by plate.

'Popiah' is also available from the same stall (left). Each 'popiah' is folded beautifully (right).

The version here is pretty good where the chicken is tender with a distinct flavour of the marinade.

For the Fish Cake, this was bouncy and tasty making it a good item to snack on.

Make sure you order the Penang Rojak from Ateng Stall located outside. You get an assortment of fruits and vegetables like pineapple, guava, cucumber, papaya, mango, yam bean and rose apple. The cut fruits and vegetables are tossed in a fragrant black sauce and garnished with a generous sprinkle of toasted peanuts and crackers.

The place feels a little like you're visiting a family home.

It's RM8 for one small portion, RM10 for a larger portion.

There's also three varieties of popiah from traditional, seaweed or chicken floss flavours.

The place is pork-free except for the bakery that sells buns and pastries.

There's a big fruits stall too.

You won't miss the huge sighboard proclaiming Ipoh Yong Tau Foo.

Segambut Yong Tau Foo, No. 67, Jalan Segambut, Taman Segambut, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 8am to 5pm. Closed on Monday. Tel: 010-3111034

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

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