PETALING JAYA, Sept 21 — Back in late 2023, I wrote about JJ Budget Restaurant, a kopitiam straddling the fringes of Taman Mayang and Kampung Cempaka. 

Its biggest draw was the front-and-centre stall run by the owner himself, serving Penang staples: char kway teow, prawn mee and mee jawa goreng, a rare gem. 

Early this year, a second stall entered the mix, run by much younger faces – the proprietor’s children – specialising in fried rice, KL-style Hokkien mee and wat tan hor.

Named Brandy’s Fried Rice (The Boy Is Mine may be the hit, but the slow jam I Wanna Be Down is more my speed), the stall offers three predictable variations: prawn (RM9), pork (RM9) and the simpler egg (RM7.50). 

Look for the stall on the right of the entrance, manned by the proprietor’s children. — Picture by Ethan Lau
Look for the stall on the right of the entrance, manned by the proprietor’s children. — Picture by Ethan Lau

I sampled the gamut over multiple visits; protein is really a matter of preference, but what stays consistent is the wok hei in every grain. 

No clumps, no stodgy softness, just fine, distinct grains with a slight singe. 

Only the meek and baby-toothed would call this “hard.” Chunks of lap cheong bring a sweetish edge to the lightly seasoned rice, with the fiery sambal on the side if you want more oomph. 

Top it with a fried egg for an extra RM1 – crisp edges, runny yolk, the whole package.

For me, the real intrigue lay in the Hokkien mee. When a friend told me to come back to JJ Budget for it, I mistakenly assumed he was referring to their Penang-style Hokkien mee. 

The fried rice is good too, and it doesn’t get more satisfying than with a perfectly fried egg on top. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The fried rice is good too, and it doesn’t get more satisfying than with a perfectly fried egg on top. — Picture by Ethan Lau

I was curious to see how it might stand up to this city’s many other offerings, some far more storied with decades and generations of history in their corner. 

And yet, as the plate of Hokkien mee (RM9) sat in front of me, steam emanating from the noodles, slick with a deep hue of brown, none of that really mattered. 

This is a great plate of KL-style Hokkien mee, glossy, savoury-sweet, topped with golden nuggets of lard, and of course, full of wok hei. 

My only gripe is the sambal. It is the same one served with the fried rice, which suits that, but Hokkien mee needs something saltier and less sharp. 

A small detail, but on a plate this good, the wrong sambal feels like a distraction. 

Nevertheless, I think we put too much weight on longevity. I do it too, clinging to the simple logic that good places last and those that last must be good. 

But that kind of thinking leaves little room for the newcomer, and this one more than earns its place. 

What did Sir Matt Busby say? If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

The coffee shop is housed in a pale yellow building that can be seen from the main road. — Picture by Ethan Lau
The coffee shop is housed in a pale yellow building that can be seen from the main road. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Brandy’s Fried Rice & Stir Fry Noodle Stall, 

JJ Budget Restaurant

2, Jalan SS 25/16, 

Taman Mayang, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Open daily, 8.30am-2.30pm. Closed one day a month.

Tel: 011-1111 2234

Instagram: @jjbudgetrestaurant

*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 self-deprecating attempts at humour.