KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — Around Jalan Gelang or Ring Road in the Pudu area, all sorts of good food like steamed fish head to sponge rusks can be found.
At this particular coffeeshop, a few steps away from the flats that house most of the eateries, it’s relatively quiet and more of a hangout for those-in-the-know.
Fronting the coffee shop is a siu chow stall that fries up noodles as early as 7am, feeding their regulars a substantial first meal of the day.
Previously an old-timer from the flats area, the stall relocated to this coffee shop about two years ago.
Once lunch service is over, another stall dominates in the coffeeshop with fried noodles plus steamed fish till night falls.
The menu centres on wok-fried goodies, whether it’s a choice of classic Hokkien or Cantonese-style fried noodles, fried rice or stir fried dishes like sweet and sour pork and spring onion ginger chicken.
What makes this stall different is the care taken in preparing the food, whether it’s a longer time spent properly braising meats, marinating the pork to a velvety texture or even ensuring their sweet and sour pork is matched with evenly cut pieces of vegetables.
Ginger Duck Yee Mee (RM15) was what attracted me to this stall since it’s not a common dish.
Under the chef’s hands, the duck is braised slowly till the meat easily pulls away from the bone.
The gravy lifts the noodles with its savoury flavour and the unmistakable fragrance of young ginger that also chases away any gaminess from the duck.
The portion is quite substantial for one small eater but according to the stall owner, their diners often ask for bigger portions which they accommodate.
Almost every table has a plate of Cantonese Fried Noodles (RM12) with its distinctive crispy beehoon strands sticking out, drenched in a beaten egg sauce.
It’s definitely more than enough for one person but you don’t feel it, as you’ll enjoy slurping down the kuey teow and the crunchy strands.
Typically stalls tend to ladle a lot of cornstarch to thicken the sauce but this place doesn’t, keeping it more natural, which I prefer.
It’s rare to get thick cut pig’s liver in these fried noodles as usually it’s cut wafer thin, leading it to be chewy when cooked with the noodles.
With a thicker cut, the liver still has a softness in the centre.
Similarly, sliced pork is usually just tossed in the noodles leaving a harsher bite but this stall makes the effort to marinate the meat to give it flavour and a smoother texture.
Har Cheong Kai (RM16 for four pieces) was served with an enticing golden brown colour, tempting you to bite into one piece even though it’s still hot from the wok.
The coating is thin and crispy, yielding juicy meat inside with a faint flavour of the shrimp paste.
We tend to eat with our eyes first and the Sweet and Sour Pork (RM20) definitely satisfies with its bright, jewel-like nuggets.
It’s the thoughtful details that won me over where nuggets of the fried pork sit with the vegetables, drenched in a sauce that zings with sharpness.
Fried Noodles Stall
Restoran Ozap Omei Kopitiam
1, Jalan Gelang, Off Jalan Sungai Besi
Pudu, Kuala Lumpur.
Open: 7am to 2.30pm. Closed on Tuesday
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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