CHERAS, Aug 26 — At first, I wondered if this was a midnight fuelled supper, the sort of midnight indulgence you assemble with whatever is left in the pantry. Noodles piled high, enough to feed two, maybe three.
Except each portion of noodles is a different colour and a different flavour. One pale as fresh corn, another a blushing tomato red, the last glossy black of soy sauce.
Not my kitchen, then, but Restoran J&J Borneo Corner, a Sarawakian-owned kopitiam tucked away in Cheras Selatan. And this is their signature offering: Kolo Mee 3 Rasa, three flavours of the iconic noodles arranged like a painter’s palette.
The number three carries forward to the shop’s set-up too. The main stall at the entrance offers kolo mee (the friendly owner will happily chat with you while he prepares the noodles); another stall, also in the front, sells nasi ayam or chicken rice.
And the drinks counter at the rear does double duty: not just beverages but Sarawak laksa too, simmering quietly in the background. This feels like, reminds me of, many a kopitiam in Kuching during my visits there.
Indeed, many of the regulars at J&J Borneo Corner are Sarawakians living and working in the Klang Valley, here to enjoy much-missed dishes from their hometown. There is no stronger testimonial to the food’s authenticity than this, I reckon.
Which means we couldn’t not order the Three Layer Tea. Gula apong (a type of palm sugar) at the base is dark and floral; the evaporated milk in the middle offers a sweet creaminess; the tea at the top a hit of tannin and caffeine.
The crowning layer of ice cubes is studded with cubes of cincau (grass jelly), a welcome inclusion. The layers remain distinct till stirred together, resulting in a refreshing, caramel-hued thirst quencher.
For something less sweet, we also ordered a mug of hot barley water. More basic, yes, but equally energising in its own way.
Laksa lovers must order their Sarawak laksa. The amber broth is rich and heady; we detect notes of galangal, lemongrass, belacan and tamarind. Everything is balanced and rounded out with santan (coconut milk).
The go-to here is the Sarawak Laksa Special: the usual toppings of shredded chicken, omelette strips, and bean sprouts are further augmented by four or five large river prawns. What a feast!
Even the “ordinary” versions are delightful thanks to that thick, sublime laksa broth, the sort that lingers long after you leave, tugging you back for another bowl.
Maybe another time though. For now we have to allocate some of our finite belly space for the aforementioned Kolo Mee 3 Rasa, still the standout of J&J Borneo Corner.
Perhaps it’s the novelty of being able to — gluttonously of us, I’m sure — sample a trio of seasonings: the white version perfumed with pork lard and topped with slices of fish cake; the red the tang of tomato and a shower of minced pork; the black the deep savour of soy sauce, contrasted with the vivid red of Sarawakian chasiu.
The Kolo Mee 3 Rasa is sheer abundance on a plate, yes, but also a conversation between these variations. You taste, you compare, you return to the one that feels just right — or perhaps you surrender to having them all, because why choose when each has its own appeal?
I have no favourite here, I must confess. It is enough that the kolo mee is unbelievably springy and chewy, even after wasting precious seconds to snap a picture or two of the triumphant trinity. That each strand is barely sheened with oil, never greasy. The inimitable aroma of fried shallots and pork lard.
There are other dishes to try: crispy tomato noodles with their savoury sauce, pien sit which are Foochow dumplings akin to Sarawak style wantans; mee bok as a sturdier noodle alternative to the thinner kolo mee, kway chap on weekends, and even stewed chicken feet if you happen upon them.
Future meals for future visits. Though it might be hard to improve on the triumvirate of kolo mee, Sarawak laksa and three layer tea.
Three colours of noodles, three layers in a glass. These patterns, these simple repetitions, they are for some of us a taste of home in a city far from it. For others, it is an introduction, perhaps even an invitation to fall under its ambrosian spell.
For Sarawakians it is memory; for the rest of us, perhaps discovery.
Selangor.
Open daily 7am-5pm
Phone: 019-308 6541
*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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