SUBANG JAYA, Dec 29 — Long before I became a central feature in my parents’ lives, my mother used to work in Glenmarie.

She often went to Subang Jaya for lunch, and my dad sometimes joined her.

One of their regular spots was Ah Lye Curry Fish Head, a long-time favourite for plenty of office folk nearby who routinely flocked to a quiet row of shops in the SS19 neighbourhood at lunchtime.

The old-school joint is still popular with office workers from nearby during lunch — Picture by Ethan Lau
The old-school joint is still popular with office workers from nearby during lunch — Picture by Ethan Lau

The family-run business traces its roots to Taiping, where their first restaurant opened in 1982.

They now have four locations: two in Taiping, one in Kamunting, and the only one outside of Perak – Ah Lye in Subang.

While everyone knows the place as Ah Lye, their present signboard now refers to it instead as Ah Lyes, just in case you may think, the address has a typographical error.

The restaurant and menu are both old-fashioned, serving mainly old-school, comforting Chinese dishes in an austere but thankfully air-conditioned setting.

The clay pot fish head curry is the main draw here, offered with an unusual twist.

When ordering our small (RM40) portion of fish head curry, we were offered a choice between the usual, grouper head, or stingray.

Of course, most Malaysians will have encountered stingrays either in the form of ikan pari bakar or in asam pedas, but it is less common in fish head curry.

I feel no two ways about eating these flat-bodied things – this one’s for Steve Irwin.

Revenge is a dish best served bubbling in curry.

Unlike the conventional grouper head, there’s lots more meat to eat on a stingray, and it's easier to handle too — Picture by Ethan Lau
Unlike the conventional grouper head, there’s lots more meat to eat on a stingray, and it's easier to handle too — Picture by Ethan Lau

It also helps that stingray flesh is usually meaty and delicious, and a bubbling clay pot full of thick, rich curry was the perfect vessel for it.

Instead of scraping and gnawing on oddly shaped, sharp little hazards for the roof of the mouth, the stingray experience was easy – plump, fleshy meat flaked effortlessly off its long, thin bones.

Its mild flavour, typical of stingray, makes it a natural choice for strong, boldly flavoured preparations like asam pedas.

Here, the curry had a muted orange hue, as opposed to the typical fiery red, and it leaned towards a creamy, savoury profile rather than something tangy or spicy.

While I usually prefer a sharper kick, there was no denying the comforting appeal of a thick ladle of curry over steaming hot rice.

It’s the ideal tonic for these rainy days.

Looking for more food to go with the inevitable second plate of rice?

The Red Beancurd Fried Pork is a good snacking option — Picture by Ethan Lau
The Red Beancurd Fried Pork is a good snacking option — Picture by Ethan Lau

We tried both the Red Beancurd Fried Pork (RM22) and Preserved Radish Omelette (RM12), decent accompaniments that don’t outshine the curry.

Skip the Kangkung Belacan (RM15), which tastes more of chilli than belacan – redundant when the curry already dominates your palate.

Their fish head curry may not be the most fiery or tangy, but it's creamy, savoury comfort and large chunks of stingray more than compensate.

It’s the kind of meal that stays with you – a slow burn of satisfaction perfect for a gloomy day.

The sign is brand new and bright red — Picture by Ethan Lau
The sign is brand new and bright red — Picture by Ethan Lau

Restoran Ah Lyes Curry Fish Head 亞來咖哩魚頭

28, Jalan SS 19/1G,

SS 19, Subang Jaya

Open daily, 12-3pm, 5.30-9pm

Tel: 010-280 1951

Facebook: Ah Lye Curry Fish Head

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

** Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems.

*** Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.